New road bypass to save houses at Dandeavaddo in Chinchinim

New road bypass to save houses at Dandeavaddo in Chinchinim
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JAN 25
It’s official. Not a single house will go for demolition at Dandeavaddo-Chinchinim as PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao has accepted the pleas of the villagers for the NH-17 bypass in the village.
At an interaction with local MLA and Water Resources Minister, Filipe Neri Rodrigues and affected villages at Chinchinim on Tuesday, Alemao said the PWD has accepted the demand for realignment of the NH-17 at Dandeavaddo by building a road bypass.
“Not a single house would go for demolition at Chinchinim. I have accepted the request of the villagers whose apprehensions were genuine. The St Sebastian Chapel and the houses will be saved from destruction”, Alemao told the villagers.
The PWD Minister said Filipe Neri Rodrigues requested him to save the religious structure as well as well as the houses by changing the alignment, which has been accepted by the PWD. “We will do whatever is required to save the houses and other structures along the NH-17 alignment. If there are some houses which have to make way for the highway expansion, the government would offer the owners market rates and alternative land for construction”, he added.
Alemao emphasized the need to  build the highway as early as possible to facilitate construction of the signature bridge over Zuari bridge within the next four years. “The condition of the Zuari bridge is bad. We have to put another bridge across River Zuari before the existing bridge gives problems”, he said.
Expressing satisfaction that the villagers of Chinchinim are happy over the government decision to realign the highway at Dandeavaddo, Alemao said the highway would pass through Cuncolim and Cortalim without affecting major structures.
Velim MLA and Water Resources Minister, Filipe Neri Rodrigues thanked Alemao for fulfilling his promise of a bypass, saying the bypass would ensure that no structure goes for demolition. “I am happy that not a single house in my constituency would go for demolition on account of the NH-17. The PWD Minister has kept his word. We will resolve small things at a later stage”, Filipe said.
A local resident Upendra Angle thanked both Alemao and Filipe for accepting their demand for realignment of the highway at Chinchinim and said that the highway project is the need of the hour taking into account the movement of vehicles on the roads.
“We are happy that both Filipe and Alemao have worked out a bypass which would not affect anyone. They have even taken care of farming. We are happy that our request has been met. Highway is a must in this age. If it is not built on time, the movement will be restricted and we will go back to the old age”, Angle said.