NEW DELHI: The Goa Government has not sought any central financial aid for widening of the Mumbai-Goa national highway17.
Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan disclosed this in the Lok Sabha in reply to a question by Advocate Narendra Sawaikar on Thursday.
He said four laning of this highway has already been identified under National Highway Development Project (NHDP-III) and Goa’s PWD is preparing a detailed project report and a feasibility study report.
Sawaikar had wanted to know how soon the Centre will approve the proposal for the central aid. The minister said no such proposal has come from the state.
In reply to another question by him, Minister of State for Railways admitted that the Goa Chief Minister had made a request, though not in writing, to introduce DEMU train between Pernem and Canacona.
“In response, necessary instruction has been issued to the concerned zonal railway for extension of 70101-70102 Karwar-Magaon DEMU and 70103/70104 Karwar-Madgaon DEMU up to Pernem to connect Canacona with Pernem,” the minister added.
Sinha also told Shantaram Naik in the Rajya Sabha that there is no proposal to start any new Duronto train and as such no question of any survey of the Delhi-Goa route. The Duronto trains that connect two trains without any stoppage on the way were introduced during the tenure of Mamata Banerjee as the railway minister.
