NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Coming out with the information that the recently started exercise of acquisition of 4.01 lakh sq mts of land from Patradevi to Bambolim by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for widening of National Highway 17 (New NH 66) will not harm any major structure along the path, including hotels, buildings and malls, Minister for Public Works Department Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Saturday said that only those structures, which are within the distance of 22 metres from the centre of the particular highway would have to be demolished.
“In fact, most of such structures are illegally constructed structures, and even if the lands on which such structures stand belong to the respective owners, the government had not given no objection certificate for their construction,” he added, pointing out that the government has taken utmost care to protect most of the structures along the NH17, during the process of its expansion.
The persons interested in the acquired land/ lands have been asked to raise objections before the special land acquisition officer, PWD-National Highways, Panaji within 21 days, from June 22, 2017, the date of issuance of notification as regards the particular land acquisition.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times,’ Dhavalikar said that the process of acquisition of the land from Patradevi to Bambolim would be completed within the next three months. “The government will ensure that those whose land is acquired would be adequately compensated as per the market rate of the land,” he added, pointing out that the land acquisition exercise for expansion of the highway from Bambolim to Verna is already complete.
The MoRTH will acquire privately-owned land, besides communidade and government land in places like Ugem, Poroscodem, Dhargalim, Pernem, Colvale, Mapusa, Guirim, Sucorro, Salvador do Mundo, Pilerne, Penha de Franca, Merces, Murda, Calapor, Cujira, and Bastora.
Speaking further, the PWD Minister said that flyovers would be coming up along the NH 17, from Patradevi to Bambolim. “In fact, wherever there are main junctions along this highway stretch, flyovers would be provided by the MoRTH,” he said, maintaining that places like Pundalik Nagar-Porvorim, Porvorim Mutt, Guirim, Karaswada and so on, will have flyovers complementing the highway expansion.
As per the MoRTH notification pertaining to the acquisition of land for the expansion of NH 17 from Patradevi to Bambolim, the acquired land would be required for building (widening/ four-laning, etc), maintenance, management and operation purposes.
The owners are expected to receive between Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per square metre of their acquired land, as per the market rate.
It may be recalled that Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had laid the foundation stone for 4-laning of the 43-km stretch of NH 17, in December, last year, which included section I from Patradevi to Karaswada and section II from Karaswada to Bambolim via Panaji. The tenders for the particular work have already been floated and bids received, with the work expected to be awarded within the next three months.
Meanwhile, Dhavalikar held a meeting with Gadkari on Saturday and decided that six-lane bridges at Banastarim and Borim would be taken up on priority.
“Tendering process for constructing these bridges will be taken up in August,” said the PWD Minister, adding that it was also decided to complete the work of bus stands at Mapusa, Ponda and Curchorem on priority basis.