Team Goemkarponn
CORTALIM: Cortalim Congress leader Olencio Simoes and former Sancoale Zilla Panchayat member Vasant Gopi Naik have come down heavily on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Goa Public Works Department (PWD), accusing them of gross negligence in the ₹455.5-crore Dabolim Airport–Verna flyover project.
The leaders alleged that the flyover, built by M. Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd., was executed with substandard work and in violation of key aviation safety norms, including Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) violations and encroachment into the airport’s critical funnel zone — a serious breach of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) parameters.
Citing reports, they claimed that as many as 17 pillars from Dabolim Airport to MES Junction may have to be demolished due to OLS violations, leading to a huge loss of public money and raising grave concerns about the competence of the contractor and accountability of officials involved.
Simoes said that despite repeated objections and written communications from the Indian Navy to the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) warning about OLS violations, the authorities “turned a blind eye and continued the work unchecked.
“This is a clear case of administrative failure and corruption. NHAI, PWD, and MPDA officials have colluded to permit a project that breaches aviation safety norms and endangers lives. Public money worth hundreds of crores has been wasted due to their reckless actions,” Simoes charged.
Naik demanded that Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and the Goa Government immediately order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter. “All responsible NHAI, MPDA and PWD officers must be suspended and arrested, and the contractor blacklisted for executing works without proper permissions,” he said.
The leaders also questioned whether M. Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd. possesses the required technical competence and safety compliance credentials to undertake such large-scale infrastructure projects.
“This scandalous mismanagement has not only wasted taxpayers’ money but has also compromised aviation safety and public trust. Strict action must be taken without delay,” Simoes asserted.
