No further changes to NH4A alignment: Goa Govt

fusing to bow down to the demands of the National Highway Diversion Action Committee (NHDAC), the State government on Tuesday decided to go ahead with the widening of the NH4A based on the new alignment submitted by the high-level committee.

While the government decided to go ahead with the alignment, the NHDAC decided to go ahead with its agitation against the project.

The high-level committee appointed by the government which included legislators, PWD, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and land survey officials brought down the number of demolitions for the NH4A widening from 569 to 168 by reducing the width to 35 meters and proposing bypasses wherever necessary.

However, the re-alignment was not acceptable to the NHDAC which sighted that the highway will create noise pollution, cause vibrations which will damage existing structures.

Following this, the government invited the NHDAC for discussion, which was also attended by PWD and the NHAI officials at the Secretariat conference hall.

However, the meeting seemed to have failed to reach any solution with the government finally deciding to go ahead with the new alignment without any further changes.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat while speaking to Herald stated that the government has made committed efforts to save the houses.

"Majority of the people are satisfied by the re-alignment and only a few individual problems exist. It's basically become a political issue rather than anything else," Kamat stated indirectly indicating to the BJP's support to the agitation against the project.

The chief minister stated that his government brought down the width from 60 meters to 45 meters and 35 meters in thickly populated areas.

"Wherever there were houses like Bhoma and Corlim, we proposed bypasses. I also assured the committee that we will not acquire any more land apart from that acquired by PWD but still they are not satisfied," he said.

"For big projects like this some houses are bound to be demolished. We can't save all houses but we have brought down the number drastically from 569 to 168," Kamat said.

Replying to a query, Kamat said the new re-alignment will be sent to the Centre soon for finalisation of the alignment.

The government's decision seems to have been influenced by the tough talking by the Union Minister for Road and Surface Transport Kamal Nath who had threatened to withdraw the project if the government delayed in acquiring land.

Sunil Desai, convenor of NHDAC, told Herald that they demanded that the re-alignment is not according to the Draft Regional Plan.

"…but the CM stated that the RP 2021 is in draft stage and that cannot be accepted," Desai said.

He said that the NHDAC basically opposed the highways (both NH17 and NH4A) passing through cities.

"The highways should pass through the hinterlands and not city," he said adding the government decided to go ahead with the present alignment.

On what would be their next step, Desai said, "we will continue our agitation until our demands are met."

The meeting was also attended by PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, Power Minister Aleixo Sequeira, PWD Principal Chief Engineer J J S Rego, NHAI officials and PWD officials besides other legislators.