Team Herald
MARGAO: South Goa District Collector on Friday slammed the contractor of Zuari bridge project, Dilip Buildcon, for not having followed any of the measures suggested to reduce the misery of the people on the stretch between Verna to the Zuari bridge.
“Instructions have not been followed by Dilip Buildcon. The environmental management plan is not submitted to date by the contractor. Dilip Buildcon is at fault on all counts. I will say that we too as the administration are responsible,” District Collector Ajit Roy said.
Roy was chairing a meeting of various responsible authorities on the request of the Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha. Officials from the PWD, Dilip Buildcon, Police, Traffic Cell, as well as farmers from Cortalim and several others were present for the meeting.
The Collector flayed the contractor for absolutely making no progress from the last meeting, and raised the issue of disobeying orders.
Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha said, “The road has become a problem for people of South Goa. Existing conditions of the road are causing problems to pedestrians, traffic and all who traverse it. Dust is rising, cement dust is being inhaled by people and it is going to have consequences. Potholes need to be taken care of as a lady has already lost her life here,” Saldanha said.
The MLA also complained that terracing sidewalls of the hill, after cutting, is giving way and it has created fear and anxiety among locals. She and Cortalim residents also objected to the manner in which the diversion road is being planned. The people alleged that the road is opening on to the regular village road, which near the Cortalim church has schools and institutions.
Farmers alleged that the creek near the railway track is being filled with mud and the next monsoon farmers will have to face the effects. “We have demanded a culvert on the creek and not pipes, as during the railway work over half the farmers lost their livelihood due to filling,” a farmer said.
The traffic police suggested that they will post policemen at the junction at Cortalim Church for the time being and that a traffic signal at the junction would be ideal. The Collector suggested that PWD take up the matter on priority and have signals at the junction. However, all the parties at the meeting said the new parallel alternative road is not going to be wide enough for two-way traffic.
Saldanha also asked the Collector to take note of the hill cutting that is going on for the road work.
The official representing Dilip Buildcon assured the Collector and the MLA to resolve the issue of dust and also of potholes on the road soon.
