The journey of bypass has no destination. Way back in 1988 the Govt acquired 30 metres breadth of land along Major District Road, the norm for 2.lanes Many houses were totally destroyed and others partially. The widening done but the land was frozen for 34 years without providing any facilities.The residents were paid a paltry compensation of Rs13m2 and Rs 800 for structures.Notices were compulsorily served to every owner to register their protest.The affected and displaced approached the court for enhancement.None were rehabilitated as required. The affected residents knocked the doors of judiciary for enhancement .Inspite of providing sale deeds in the vicinity of Rs 250, the judge reluctantly granted relief of Rs 100m2.Residents readjusted making necessary changes and were at peace The Govt froze the land prohibiting constructions upto 40 metres on either side It did raise alarm but none took it seriously the hidden intentions of the authorities The people protested against the acquisitions by dharnas but there it stood. Fearing further acquisition and more damage and displacement tremendous efforts were made for a feasible, cost effective bypass through fallow fields with amplecscope for expansion. Besides no one was to be affected.The delegation along with then Minister met Collector. PWD , CM, NHA and RV consultants.A Massive ampaign of publicity with the formation of Action Committee followed As the result official survey .. was undertaken Unfortunatelt it was not incorporated into the plan of Highway , it now appears due to vested interests the suggestion was deliberately sabotaged The authorities amply made its intentions clear to convert acquired land into 4 lanes against the norm of 45 m and further damage the interest of inhabitants Many legislators intervened against it Finally late Mr Parikar ordered to flag off the 3 alternative routes before any finalisations The exercise was in futility as after the demise of CM once again the NHA steam rolled all suggestions not to hid the legitimate objections In the mean time efforts continued unabated thro Eng Cruz ,Shripad Naik Digambar Kamat ,Vijay and others..Surprisingly a new factor of fly over has been stealthily kept secret is now disclosed The assurances even recently that no further acquisitions will be done is belied by notice of more acquistion afresh.No notices are sent to owners or names mentioned in the advertisement.The condition to lodge objections in Panjim is malafide strategy to cause purposeful inconvenience. The authorities deliberately turned a blind eye to illegal structures without any setback as essential. Now to protect these illegal structures the authorities are using other circuitous alignment leading to further damage .The authorities have ignored intentionally encroachments by constructions and which seem to be legalised unofficially by default There are two major junctions to be considered for adamantly continuing the same route It was not acquired for 4 lanes as the norm is 45 metres breadth and now attempting to squeeze The flyover of 6 lanes will be as near as 2 to 4 metres from exisiting structures if 25 metres is used for flyover We fail to appreciate their rational as the cost of bypass will be at least 5 times cheaper with other benefits aforementioned DETAIL files of over 10 years struggle with the correspondence ,reports ,plans etc are presented to MLA , Ministry of Surface Transport ,PWD EE MINISTER PWD, C.M NHA for favourable assessment The argument that land is avaiable is no justification as it was specifically acquired for two lanes only .The reason of delay cannot be accepted as even after 34 years acquisition beyond Uskiniband is yet to take off. The existing facility can still meet the requirement without any hindrance in the mean while.In comparison the dangerous , accident prone stretch upto Canacona is crying for expeditious consideration The extraordinary hurry to attend to stretch between Navelim to Uskiniband is only to utilise sanctioned funds it seems.The NH 66 stretch in Goa is acorridor to facilitate Maharashtra and Karnataka and inconsequential economic benefits to Goa In relation is minimum at great cost of displacement and utilising scarce resource of land High way expansion constructions should necessarily bypass habitats to avoid all disadvantages safety ,noise pollution and movements of residents 34 years of inactivity will not push back the clock for acquisition under emergency clause to address the burning contentious issues of need for diversion Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Nelson Lopes Chinchinim https://lopesnelsonnat.wordpress.com
Nelson Lopes Chinchinim https://lopesnelsonnat.wordpress.com