“There are a total of 22 structures affected out of which only 4 are residential houses and the remaining are temporary kiosks whereas in Corlim Village there are 39 structures affected out of which 4 are old residential houses and the remaining are temporary kiosks.”
Nilesh Cabral
PWD Minister
Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: While the Bhoma villagers claim 64 people have got notices of demolition from teh PWD / National Highway Authorities, teh State government says that only four houses from each village will be demolished and no temples would be touched.
PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral clarifying the charges made by the locals and politicians said that no temples would be touched.
“The National Highway NH 4A (no. 748) originates at Belgaum (km 0/00) & terminates at Panaji (km 153/00). The jurisdiction of Goa State starts at km 84/00 i.e. Anmod. Hence total stretch of NH 4A in the jurisdiction of Goa State is 69 km, out of which 17 km is already upgraded to four lanes i.e. Ponda bypass including the Khandepar bridge has a 7 km length and the Ribander bypass has a length of 10 km,” he explained.
Further, Cabrqal said that the traffic intensity along these stretches has crossed 30000 pcu, whereby MoRTH New Delhi has approved the alignment wide no. RW/NH/37015/14/2016/NHDP- IV dated 26/02/2016 for upgradation of the remaining stretch, wherein the approved alignment in Bhoma and Corlim Village is along the existing NH.
“Two alignments were studied on the left-hand side of the existing NH wherein 3 residential houses were affected and the alignment on the right-hand side, which is reflected in the regional plan is also studied wherein 4 residential houses are affected,” Cabral disclosed.
The Minister says the land acquisition for this stretch was approved by Ministry job no. NH-4A-GOA-2014-15-165 dated 31/03/2015, job no. NH-4A-GOA-2014-15-164 dated 31/03/2015.
“The approved alignment, sanctioned land acquisition and the proposal of expansion which is on stilt in Bhoma and Corlim Village were explained to the then-elected representatives of both the constituencies i.e. Cumbarjua as well as Priol,” he stated.
Accordingly, he added, land acquisition proceedings were initiated. Due hearings were given by CALA individually and grievances were addressed under Section 3C.
Subsequently, he said as per the request of the Village Panchayat Bhoma presentation was given in the specially convened Gram Sabha wherein top officers of the administration and Public Works Department were present.
“Section 3D is notified and land acquisition officer CALA PWD Cell Panaji has issued a notice under Section 3(G)(3) of the National Highway Act 1956. The land acquisition proposed and initiated is on the right-hand side from the left edge of the existing Highway in Bhoma Village wherein no temples are affected,” he stated.
Cabral said there are a total of 22 structures affected out of which only 4 are residential houses and the remaining are temporary kiosks whereas in Corlim Village there are 39 structures affected out of which 4 are old residential houses and the remaining are temporary kiosks.
“The government intends to rehabilitate the affected kiosks in Bhoma Village in front of the temple in the vicinity of the temple premises, the right extreme edge of the acquisition and plots for the rehabilitation of the affected 4 houses are proposed near the Panchayat building and for rehabilitation of 4 houses in Corlim Village, there is a provision of separate plots at Old Goa. Similarly, the Government is exploring various options to rehabilitate the affected kiosks of Corlim village,” he said.
The proposed Highway in Bhoma and Corlim Village is on stilts whereby all highway traffic will ply on the elevated portion and the underneath portion will act as a service road causing the least disturbance to the existing business setups beyond the acquisition line, he said.
In view of the above, Cabral says, there should not be any fear and anxiety in the minds of Goans and villagers of Bhoma and Corlim that their traditional residential houses, Temples will be demolished and their tradition, culture and livelihood will be affected, as barring the above mentioned 4 residential houses in each village that are going to be demolished, no other residential houses are going to be demolished to build this highway, for which residents are going to be given rehabilitation plots.
Similarly, he says, the temporary kiosks that are going to be removed are also going to be rehabilitated and therefore their livelihood shall not be snatched away from them. As mentioned above, no temple shall be demolished and hence the question of disturbing the tradition or culture does not arise.