PANJIM: In the wake of the conflicting understanding about notified national highway bypasses and the ones discarded, Public Works Department through a notification, has declared eight road stretches as Other District Roads (ODR).
The notification states, “Improvements and developments of the National Highway were undertaken and in places where widening of existing National Highway was not feasible due to builtup sections and congested areas, such lengths of the National Highway have been bypassed and the new bypasses have been constructed from funds of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH).”
“The Government of Goa hereby classifies the discarded and abandoned lengths of the National Highways as Other District Roads (ODR) with right of way of 20metres,” the notification read.
President of All Goa Liquor Traders’ Association, when asked about the impact of such a notification, said, “The notification will not have any impact on the current scenario as these roads were not considered while cancellation of trade licences.”
The ODRs include road stretches from Karaswada, Mapusa Town, Bodgini, Guirim up to Hotel Green Park junction, from Panaji – Old Patto Bridge (Rua de Qurem), Neuginagar, 4 pillars, Santa Cruz upto GMC crossing, from Goa Velha, Agassaim bazar upto NH-17 junction of Zuari on Agassaim side and from Pirni, Verna along church side upto Fr. Agnelo Polytechnic junction, all on NH 17.
On NH 4A, the stretches include from Old Goa, Bainguinim, Sao Pedro, Panelim, Ribandar, Ribandar causeway, Divja circle up to junction of NH-17 at KTC, from Mangueshi, Mardol temple upto Veling junction, from Junction near Sateri temple, Curti, St. Anne’s Church, Ponda Bazar, Old bus stand upto Maruti temple junction and from Usgaon junction of NH-4A, Usgaon Central Hospital upto MRF junction of NH-4A.
The department has as per the notification of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) informed the four national highways crossing the state.
NH 4A connecting Belgaum, Anmod, Ponda and Panaji, NH 17 connecting Panvel on NH No. 4 Mahad, Panaji, Karwar, Mangalore, Cannanore, Calicut (Kozhikode) and Trichur, NH 17A starting from its junction near Cortalim with NH No. 17 and terminating at the Mormugao Port and NH 17B which starts from its junction with NH No. 4A near Ponda connecting Borim – Verna and terminating near Vasco.
