Team Herald
PANJIM: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) director general I K Pandey had reviewed the ongoing work of national highways and bridges in the State on Wednesday.
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Pandey along with PWD principal chief engineer U P Parsekar and other engineers inspected the work of under-construction cable-stayed bridge across Zuari river and the western bypass road from its starting to its end point.
According to PWD sources, Pandey reviewed packages of national highways works in the Goa sector and then chaired a review meeting at Verna.
St Andre MLA Francisco Silveira said that he met Pandey for a short while and requested him to construct a service road on either side of Agacaim to Goa Velha bypass for the convenience of local residents. Silveira also urged the PWD to construct a cattle-pass in between the bypass road.
“I had gone to meet PWD principal chief engineer and happen to meet the MoRTH official that too for a short time. I requested him to see whether my request can be settled by them,” Silveira said.
Silveira said that government had acquired huge strata of agriculture fields to construct 45-metre wide bypass from Agacaim to Goa Velha. “The residents now want a service road on either side of the bypass,” he said adding that he is going to raise this issue during the budget session of Goa Assembly.
When contacted, PWD principal chief engineer Parsekar said that Pandey travelled from Mumbai to Goa by road to see the ongoing works and reviewed the ongoing works in Goa.
Parsekar confirmed that MLA Silveira had gone to meet him and though there was no provision for service road the government will study his request/proposal and if needed will construct the service road through State funds.
Referring to traffic snarls in front of Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim, Parsekar said that the government is preparing a plan to ensure smooth vehicular traffic and safe pedestrians crossing at Bambolim.
GMC Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar said that they too have requested the PWD to ensure safe passage of ambulances in view of ongoing works in front of the GMC building.
