Team Herald
MARGAO: The Public Works Department has preferred to let the government decide upon the vexing issue of State Highway No 8 which is facing opposition from different quarters.
As per the 1977 notification State Highway 8 was passing from Margao to Davorlim, San Jose de Areal, Chandor and Curchorem.
However, in order to implement the Supreme Court ban on liquor vends along highways, the PWD demarcated another road to the Excise Department as State Highway 8. This new route was from Margao to Davorlim, Ramnagiri, Curtorim (Raitolem), Guirdolim, Chandor and Curchorem.
Incensed with this new demarcation villagers from Guirdolim and Curtorim protested pointing out to the notification where the State Highway 8 was demarcated, and demanded that the State Highway 8 should not pass through their villages.
Meanwhile, villagers from Chandor, Cavorim and Guirdolim also demanded that the State Highway 8 be denotified and it should not pass through their villages as it would destroy the heritage of the village and also the various heritage monuments including the house where father of Goa’s freedom movement T B Cunha was born.
Chandor and Guirdolim villagers also pointed out that the Town and Country Planning Board had shown the road from Margao to Paroda to Quepem to Curchorem as the State Highway 8 in the Regional Plan 2011 that was sent to the villages.
Incidentally this road was notified as Major District Road No 40 in the same notification where the State Highway 8 was notified.
The right of way for a State Highway is supposed to be 30 metres while for a Major District Road it is supposed to be 25 metres.
As per officials records, area providing 20 mts right of way to the road has been acquired for a distance of only 4.9 kms along the notified State Highway 8 including the area where a rail over bridge is to be constructed across the South Western Railway track between San Jose de Areal and Chandor.
Interestingly right of way ranging from 13 mts to 23 mts has been acquired from Gudi to Karali for a distance of about 4.45 kms where possession was taken in 2005 although the land was awarded in 2001 for the notified Major District Road 40.
Similarly the area from Don Khuris to Paroda which is around 5 kms, right of way has been acquired by the PWD for the notified Major District Road 40.
PWD Superintending Engineer Ratnakaran Challan revealed that all three routes have been clearly demarcated and the government is now asked to decide upon the matter. Incidentally, the PWD officials also pointed out that while 21 bars were affected by the State Highway 8 as demarcated by the PWD to implement the Supreme Court order while only 15 would be affected if the notified State Highway 8 was accepted.
and no study was undertaken for bars on Major District Road 40.
