PANJIM: The ‘in-principle’ declaration to convert some of the State Highways and main district roads (MDR) into National Highways is a proposal and not a final decision and the State can reject the proposal, Public Works Department (PWD) Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar told Herald.
Parsekar said that the letter from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) has categorically stated that the in-principle decision is subject to the outcome of the detailed project report (DPR).
He said, “Whether it is feasible to declare them as national highways or not will be decided only after the DPRs are ready and only then we will be able to advise if the proposal can be accepted.”
He added that the DPR will take into consideration the number of structures that would have to be demolished if the roads have to be converted into national highways.
“Whether houses, shops or any other structure have to be demolished, the number all of such structures will be known once the DPR is prepared and based on that data the government can decide whether to declare the roads as National Highways”, he added.
Asked for a time frame, he said the process is yet to begin and no work has been done since the date the MORTH has communicated the matter to the State government, which is January 9, when the letter was received by the PWD Principal Secretary.
Responding to a question on the impact if the roads are converted into highways, Parsekar said, “When the proposals were made the Supreme Court’s orders (on liquor ban) were not there and therefore such an impact was not expected. Now considering all the aspects, a decision will have to be taken by the government,” he stated.
Declining to respond to a question whether denotifying highways to MDRs would be a possible solution to the liquor ban along highways, he said the government always works for progress and to move forward and not the other way around.
Interestingly, some of the 21 roads proposed to be declared as national highways are part of the Bharat Mala Pariyojana which envisages development of roads connecting beaches, towns and villages with places of religious importance, bird sanctuaries, wild life sanctuaries and other tourist places in the State.
As per data with the PWD, there are four National Highways running across Goa. NH-17 from Patradevi to Pollem, NH-4A from Anmod to Panjim, NH-17A from Cortalim circle to Mormugao and NH-17 B from Farmagudi to Mormugao.
In addition to the existing national highways, eight by-passes have been constructed on NH-17. Apart from these, there are eight state highways. SH-1 running from Cunchelim in Mapusa to Valpoi, SH-2 from Assnora to Dodamarg, SH-3 from Honda to Piliem, SH-4 from Sanquelim to Chorlem, SH-5 from Ponda to Margao, SH-6 from Borim to Zuna in Kalem, SH-7 from Dharbandora to Curchorem and SH-8 from Margao to Curchorem.
