Benaulim VP reiterates demand for bypass on stilts

Staff Reporter

Margao

The Benaulim village panchayat has filed a miscellaneous civil application before the High Court of Bombay at Goa reiterating the locals’ demand that the remaining stretch of the Western Bypass be
built on stilts.

The court has said that copies of the civil application be furnished to the other parties in the proceedings. The court also said, “If the parties to the miscellaneous civil application wish to file any response, they may do so on or before the next date,” which is slated for June 19.

The court also noted in its proceedings the filing of a status report by the contractor and called on the PWD to verify the status of the compliance and file their affidavit on or before the next date.

It may be recalled that the High Court had taken a suo moto cognizance of the issue in 2015. The court had last year directed the contractor to complete the remaining work of the Western Bypass stretch by December 2023. In February this year, the panchayat had decided to file a petition in the High Court.

Meanwhile, the work of the Western Bypass in Benaulim has been going on with several box culverts being installed.

The panchayat in its application has prayed for the stretch to be built on stilts pointing to the box type cross drains stating that it would worsen the flooding concerns. It has also asked for the ongoing work to be kept on hold till the hydrology report is prepared.