NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Construction of mining corridors for Goa’s mining industry will be taken up by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore.
Speaking to this daily on Wednesday, vice chairman of GSIDC Sidharth Kuncalienker said that the mining corridor project is being presently redesigned, as the project is being revived after a long gap.
“In 2012, we had nearly finalised the project and were ready to commence work but due to the closure of mining, the scheme was abandoned,” he said.
The GSIDC is redesigning the corridor development plans after taking up the project again, said Kuncalienker. The project cost is estimated at Rs 150 crore and is expected to be funded by mining companies.
The corridors will come up in the mining talukas of Sanguem and Quepem and the construction will be taken up in three phases, explained Kuncalienker. “While phase one can be readily completed, phases two and three will require land acquisition,” he said and added that the work will start after the tendering process. “The mode of funding is being worked out and the funds contributed by mining companies may be kept in an escrow account,” he said. The GSIDC is likely to plan for two mining corridors in Uguem and Kapsem routes.
Mining corridors are dedicated roads which bypass congested areas. They are solely to be used for transportation of iron ore to avoid dust pollution and vehicular accidents involving iron ore trucks, which is a common feature on the roads in the mining belt. Blockage of traffic by mining trucks, and dust has been the cause of agitations and anger against mining by villagers, in the past.
Recently, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had said that mining corridors should be built at the initiative of mine owners. “If they do this, then we can seek to increase the mining extraction cap from 20 million tonnes to 25 million or 30 million tonnes,” he had said. Goa’s mining companies have indicated that they are willing to fund the construction of the corridors.
The Supreme Court-appointed expert committee to study the limit on iron ore mining had suggested an increase in the cap to 37 million tonnes from the current 20 million tonnes, provided infrastructure for enhanced capacity is put in place.
Mining corridors are necessary towards road infrastructure as per the committee’s recommendations.