The Public Works Department has begun the process of widening the existing NH-66 (which is effectively an internal road due to the presence of the Western by-pass) in Nuvem. Incidentally, the Western by-pass was constructed in order to avoid widening of this particular stretch of NH-66.
According to officials, the stretch of road from Fr Agnel Ashram Complex to Carmel Hostel (just before the Nuvem Church) is to be converted into a 4-lane Highway.
Residents and business premises owners here have raised an objection on the widening of this particular portion of the road stating that since there is already a bypass namely the Western Bypass for National Highway-66 there was no need to further widen the portion of NH66 from Agnel Ashram Verna to Nuvem church.
They mentioned that this Western Bypass is already functional and most of the vehicular traffic is plying along this bypass. A resolution to this effect requesting de-notification of this stretch has also been passed in the Nuvem Village Gram Sabha.
Also, there are a number of educational institutions on this stretch and widening of the road will be a safety hazard for the students as well as the parents due to the invariable increase in vehicular traffic, since most commuters will prefer this route to the Western by-pass
The present width of this route has already been widened to 15 meters and converting it into a 4-lane road with a 5 meter divider on this route which is parallel to the 4- lane Western Bypass just a few meters away makes no sense at all. The Public Works Department proposal to widen only this stretch and not the remaining portion from the Nuvem church to the crossing at Rajee Motors is also unrealistic as it will lead to a bottle neck at the Nuvem church junction causing traffic jams like those in the past before the construction of the western by-pass. Converting it into a 4 lane highway as planned by the WD will mean that there will be no bus stops and residential as well as business establishments access on this route. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 30 crores which if this project is dropped, can be utilized for more urgently required works in south Goa under the Road Safety Annual Plan.