TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: Tension prevailed among residents at Sangolda on Sunday over fears of demolition of compound walls and balconies for road widening works.
As per the plan received by the panchayat, the stretch of road from Porvorim to Calangute is proposed to be widened by 20 metres. If the road is widened by 20 metres, then compound walls, balconies and even some houses face the danger of demolition. The residents on Sunday measured the distance from the centre of the road to their houses in the presence of Sangolda Sarpanch Premanand Kochrekar to show which houses face the danger of demolition. When the residents wanted to know from the sarpanch from whom the panchayat has received the plan of road widening, he failed to reply.
A resident, Sandra Fernandes, claimed that more than 30 houses along the Sangolda road are heritage houses and some of the houses are on the postcards of tourism.
“If the road is widened by 20 metres, then compound and balconies of these heritage houses will be demolished and the road will touch the entrance of the houses. It will be unfair to spoil the beauty of the heritage houses. The residents will fight tooth and nail to protect their houses,” said Fernandes.
Reginaldo D’Souza, a Goankar of Sangolda Comunidade, said the government has already developed a 5-metre road from Socorro-Sangolda junction towards Saligao. “If the road is widened to 20 metres, then the traffic towards Saligao/Calangute can be diverted through the same road. These fields belong to comunidade and it will not be difficult for the government to acquire the fields for road widening,” said D’Souza.
Ryan D’Souza said the traffic along the Porvorim-Calangute road has increased manifold in recent years. “The window panes vibrate during night due to vehicular traffic and we can’t get good sleep. If the compound of my heritage house is demolished, then the road will nearly touch my house, due to which it will not be possible for my family members even to come out of the house,” he said.
Sarpanch Kochrekar said he has understood the grievances of the residents. “The panchayat will convene a special gram sabha to discuss the issue and resolution taken in the meeting will be forwarded to the authorities concerned. The panchayat is interested in solving the problem of the residents amicably,” said Kochrekar.
