Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Bombay High Court at Goa has expressed displeasure over the prolonged delay in resolving an elderly landowner’s demand for higher compensation for property acquired for the New Zuari Bridge project.
The court was hearing a plea filed by 85-year-old Antonio Florencio do Rosario, whose application for enhanced compensation has remained unresolved for several years. Represented by Advocates Gaurish Agni and Ankur Kumar, Rosario sought relief over land acquired in 2018 at Goa Velha in Tiswadi for National Highway 66 and the approach road to the new Zuari Bridge.
Rosario had approached the statutory arbitrator in 2019 under Section 3G(5) of the National Highways Act, 1956, seeking an increase in the compensation awarded for his land in Survey Nos. 202/2 and 202/3.
Examining the case proceedings, the High Court noted that there had been no progress between 2021 and June 13, 2023. Even after the matter resumed, the application remained pending for more than three years.
The court questioned the repeated adjournments, observing that the matter should have been resolved much earlier, particularly considering the advanced age of the applicant.
The bench also highlighted the delay in obtaining a report on the alleged dumping of debris on Rosario’s property. Although the Tiswadi Mamlatdar was asked to submit the report on August 19, 2026, it had not reached the court.
The High Court has now directed the Mamlatdar to inspect the property and submit the report within seven days.
It has also set December 15, 2026, as the deadline for the North Goa Collector to decide the pending compensation claim. The Collector must subsequently submit a compliance report to the Registrar (Judicial) by December 20, 2026.
