Goa: Porvorim flyover hits roadblock

PANAJI: The proposed six-lane flyover at Porvorim has hit a roadblock as the contractor has expressed unwillingness to continue with the project.
“The contractor has written to the public works department (PWD) as well as the ministry of road, transport and highways (MoRTH) stating that he does not want to continue with the six-lane flyover project from Guirim to Teen building at Porvorim,” said PWD minister Deepak Pauskar.
Pauskar said the cost of the project is pegged at Rs 450 crore. He added that five residents from Porvorim had sought the height of the flyover be 7m, but the contractor agreed to raise it up to 6m. “If people don’t want the flyover, then the project will hit a dead-end,” the PWD minister said.
The PWD minister said the actual height of the bridge differs across various locations. He also said that during a meeting with chief minister Pramod Sawant, the consultant said he would submit a revised plan for the flyover to MoRTH, but residents didn’t agree to it. “The residents first want to view the project plan,” he said.
Porvorim residents had approached the high court against the proposed flyover. Pauskar said the court has ordered not to commence work on the six-lane flyover at Porvorim till the matter is decided. “We have approached the high court to allow us to begin work,” he said.
On the new Zuari bridge issue, the minister said he has moved a file to the chief minister to take a decision on continuing with the Chinese consultant. One four-lane section of the eight-lane bridge project will be ready by April 2021, even if the Chinese consultant is replaced, Pauskar had said.