PANJIM: PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral on Monday reiterated that only four houses situated in Bhoma village would be demolished for the expansion of National Highway (NH) at Bhoma in Ponda taluka and that bypass was not technically feasible.
At the same time, the Minister said that all the structures which have sprouted in the land acquired in 1991 will be razed.
Allaying fears of the villagers of Bhoma that several houses and temples would be demolished for expansion of existing highway, Cabral gave a power-point presentation of the highway expansion at the Mantralaya, Porvorim. He said that as per rehabilitation plan, the government will allot 300 square metres of land and money to four displaced families to reconstruct their houses.
The minister said that barring four houses, no houses or temples in Survey No. 6 will be demolished. He said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), New Delhi had dropped the proposal to construct a bypass at Bhoma since it was not possible.
Using drone footage, the minister claimed that only four houses and 17 kiosks will be demolished for the expansion of the highway at Bhoma. No temple will be affected, as claimed by the villagers. He pointed out that several encroachments that had come up on the land acquired for National Highway way back in 1991-92 will be demolished and the government will construction cubical structure and allot it each one of them.
On being questioned about 64 notices issued by the MoRTH to villagers, Cabral said that part of survey No. 6 is being acquired and as the survey number has not been partitioned all the houses in the survey number have been served notices. He also added that the MoRTH has sanctioned Rs 575 crore for the construction of four-laning highway from Ponda to Bhoma.