‘Centre’s in-principle nod to 4-lane Panaji-Hyderabad road’

PANAJI: Public works department (PWD) minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar on Monday said that the Union government has granted in-principle approval for the four-laning of the road leading from Panaji to Hyderabad via Chorla ghat under the Bharatmala project.
Dhavalikar also reacted to a video circulating on social media creating panic about a ‘crack’ developing on the Zuari bridge.“The Zuari bridge is very safe, my team of engineers have inspected it,” he said. He explained that due to heavy rains, the tar got washed away and that is the reason a 10cm gap was visible. He said that his department has repaired it, and as soon as there is a dry spell, the PWD would ‘completely’ repair it.
The minister also referred to the number of potholes, and said that work worth Rs 20 crore has been sanctioned in all of Goa’s 40 constituencies for various development works including hotmixing of roads. Chief minister Manohar Parrikar had assured all sitting MLAs that Rs 25 crore would be sanctioned for each of them to take up development works in their constituencies.
Dhavalikar also said that work worth Rs 12,500 crore is underway on the state’s national highways, and Rs 12,000 crore would be sanctioned shortly for more development work.
He also said that the Centre would get the necessary environment and forest clearance for the 120km road from Panaji to Belagavi via Chorla and thereafter from Bijapur to Hyderabad, which has been approved.