Team Herald
PANJIM: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Tuesday said most of the ongoing national highway works, including one-lane of new Zuari Bridge package-I will be inaugurated by December 15 this year.
Addressing the media after reviewing major ongoing national highway (NH) projects in the State, he said that the State-of-the-art eight-lane signature bridge would be completed by September next year.
Gadkari said during the review meeting, MoRTH took a policy decision not to have toll plazas at the Zuari Bridge and the acquired land will now be utilised to create roadside amenities including a restaurant, a petrol pump, a gas station, museum, parking area and a 125-metre tall viewer’s gallery on the lines of Eiffel Tower in Paris. The toll plaza at the entry of the State would be enough, he added.
Gadkari said 60 hectares of land below the bridge will be developed as a recreational centre with food court, handicraft emporium, parking, etc, and after inviting tenders, the foundation stone for this project will also be laid before December 15.
He disclosed that the Zuari Bridge work was delayed during the pandemic due to visa issues of China-based bridge consultants. “Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has written to the Union Ministry of External Affairs, while I have also sent a proposal to the Ministry to expedite the process so that the bridge work can be expedited,” he said.
Gadkari said the pending issues of the Sada-Varunapuri highway have been resolved and the road, other than port connectivity to Mormugao port, will be also completed and inaugurated before December 15.
Stating that the Goa government has completed the land acquisition for the Mopa link road, Gadkari said the tenders will be floated soon and the road work will be fast-tracked and the foundation stone will be laid by December 15.
When his attention was drawn to the ongoing sub-standard and unmotorable national highway works by the contractors, causing
accidents, the Union Minister said as per the two-year defect liability clause the contractors have to repair and maintain the highways.
Gadkari further warned that the government will not compromise on quality work and will initiate stern action against the contractors if their work is found to be sub-standard and of poor quality. At the same time, he claimed that the quality of ongoing construction work of Zuari Bridge is good.
