SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: M Venkata Rao Infra Pvt Ltd (MVR) and Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd-JV will build the 42.9 km National Highway 17 (NH66) from Patradevi to Bambolim.
The NH17 from Patradevi to Bambolim will be taken up in two sections — Patradevi to Karaswada and Karaswada to Bambolim at a total cost of nearly Rs 2000 crore.
As per the information available, the MVR is the lowest bidder for the stretch between Patradevi to Karaswada while Navayuga Joint Venture is the lowest bidder for the other stretch.
While the tendering process by the National Highways Authority of India is completed, the work order to the two companies is yet to be issued, confirmed PWD Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar.
“Once the order is issued, the work should begin in the next three months,” said Parsekar, adding the completion time for the project is three years.
When asked about the remaining stretch from Bambolim to Polem, he said, the package is still being finalised and should be completed soon.
The four-laning is a part of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and highways’ plan to widen NH-17 (NH 66) from Panvel to Kanyakumari.
Parsekar said that the government is already in possession of 30 mt width land on the stretch.
Sources said that while NHAI has acquired under sub-section (1) of Section 3A of the National Highways Act from Torxem in Pernem to Cujira in Tiswadi, it will utilise the land acquired earlier in Porvorim to build elevated corridors.
“Care has been taken not to disturb too many existing dwellings. We had acquired land at Porvorim and will build elevated structures for a stretch of two to three kilometres,” an official overseeing the project said.
The 42.93km-stretch of the national highway will be widened at a cost of Rs 2,237 crore and is expected to reduce the time taken to cross from one end of Goa to the other.
