PANJIM: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued notification for acquisition of 4.5335 hectares (45,335 sq mts) of land at Bhoma in Ponda Taluka for road widening of National Highway-4A (NH-748).
The Union government wants to acquire about 4.5335 hectares of land for widening of road between km 137/000 to km 139/200 and km 139/500 to km 142/600 on NH-4A in the State. Most of the land is private and wet and belongs to locals and Comunidade of Bhoma.
All the persons interested in the land have been asked to appear before the Competent Authority of Land Acquisition (CALA), Office of the Special Land Acquisition Officer, PWD (Cell), Altinho, Panjim either in person or by an agent or by a legal practitioner and state the nature of their respective interest in the land on or before August 25, 2023.
The residents of Bhoma have been vehemently opposing road widening in the village as about 64 houses and about 1,035 square metres of land belonging to three temples in the village would be acquired. The issue was also hotly debated in the Bhoma-Adkolna gram sabha last month.
While replying to a calling attention notice tabled by Sanvordem MLA Ganesh Gaonkar in the Legislative Assembly last week, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral said that in Bhoma village, 22 structures will be affected out of which four are residential houses and the remaining are temporary kiosks (gaddas), whereas in Corlim village, 39 structures are getting affected out of which only four are residential houses and the remaining are temporary kiosks. He said that the government has taken a decision to rehabilitate the affected families and kiosks, which had encroached on the road affecting the movement of traffic.
“I know the importance of this road and hence I have been conducting every fortnightly meetings with the officers to review the land acquisition process as well as the ongoing works in this stretch. I am also constantly in touch with the officials of the MoRTH and NHAI, as well as with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, for early sanction of our proposals and we are receiving full support from the Union Ministry and our proposals are getting sanctioned expeditiously,” said Cabral.
The Minister further said that the government had made presentation to the Bhoma-Adkolna Village Panchayat regarding the road widening and the number of structures that will be affected. He denied that any temple will be razed at Bhoma and that it will be elevated road.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had brought to his notice that 18th century temples namely Sateri temple and Mahadev Swayambhu temple situated at Bhoma will be affected and will be demolished for road widening. He said that he had discussed with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding realignment of Corlim-Bhoma Bypass on NH 66 passing through Karmal Ghat on via ducts. But the PWD Minister reiterated that no temple will be demolished at Bhoma.
