NT NETWORK
MARGAO
The highway construction work at Ambora- Camorlim has become a problem for the farmers as the material used in the work, including stones and mud, has washed into the cultivable khazan fields in the rains. The motorists are also irked over the condition of the road and the dust problem.
The work had begun earlier in the year during the summer months; however, as a measure to prevent crumbling of the road and washing of the construction material into the fields with the flow of rain water a retaining wall was needed to be built, but that has not been done.
An aggrieved farmer C Dias, expressing ire over the haphazard work, said that “the engineers of the concerned department had assured us that they would construct a retaining wall before the monsoon, but it did not happen till date. As a result, the mud and other material used in the road construction made its way into the paddy fields.”
Although the contractors have made some temporary arrangements to prevent road material from flowing into the fields, but that has not helped much.
The PWD had taken up the work after acquiring the khazan land and paddy fields. As the work started, the PWD had closed the existing road and as such the vehicles were made to ply on the under-construction stretch of the highway.
Further, in the rains the road stretch developed potholes only to compound the woes of the motorists. Also, the road condition gave rise to accidents due to uneven and slippery surface.
“Now, some have started using the Raia-Loutolim road that goes upto the Borim bridge to avoid the under-construction dusty road,” said Suresh Naik of Borim, who works in Margao.
The concerned PWD engineer could not be contacted for comments. However, an engineer said that due to heavy rainfall, the work could not be carried out continuously, adding, “The work will restart this month and proper measures would be taken.”
This PWD project of four-laning of the highway is worth crores of rupees.