Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a move aimed at speeding up piped natural gas (PNG) rollout and streamlining infrastructure works, the Goa government has established a high-level Coordination Committee and appointed the Public Works Department (PWD) as the sole authority for granting road-cutting permissions.
The decision follows directions from the Centre to accelerate approvals for PNG projects and is expected to ease delays that have affected the ongoing 16-km gas pipeline expansion in Tiswadi and Ponda. For weeks, the project had slowed due to pending clearances for road excavation.
As per a recent notification, the PWD will now function as the single nodal agency responsible for approving all utility-related road cutting, including emergency works. Principal Chief Engineer Sandip Prabhu Chodnekar stated that no other department will issue such permissions independently.
The newly formed Coordination Committee, chaired by the PWD’s Principal Chief Engineer, will oversee planning, scheduling, and approvals for all utility-laying activities across Goa. Departments handling electricity, water supply, gas, and telecommunications have been directed to upload their annual work plans on a GIS platform by June 30 each year, while the PWD will submit its roadwork schedule by May 31.
An integrated execution plan will be finalised by July 31 annually to ensure better coordination between road construction and utility installations, reducing the need for repeated digging of the same stretches.
To address frequent road damage, the government has introduced a rule barring fresh road-cutting permissions for five years after completion of utility work and hotmixing, except in emergencies. It has also mandated that all new road projects must include provisions for utility infrastructure, with similar arrangements to be introduced gradually on existing roads.
All approvals will now be processed through an online system, and completion certificates will be issued digitally after inspection by PWD engineers. The notification makes it clear that no road-cutting activity can proceed without the Committee’s clearance, and any unauthorised excavation will attract penalties and immediate stoppage of work.
Strict timelines and technical standards have also been laid down for road restoration. Non-compliance will result in penalties as determined by the Committee.
Additionally, a blanket ban on road cutting will remain in force during the monsoon period from May 16 to October 31 each year. Authorities have directed that all such works be completed before April 30, or at the latest by early May, unless exceptional circumstances arise.
The Coordination Committee will regularly review infrastructure projects to ensure alignment between roadworks and utility services, aiming for more efficient execution and reduced public inconvenience.
