Centre has sanctioned Rs 16k cr road works in Goa since 2014, says CM; slams Cong govts for neglect

Panaji, Jul 9 (PTI) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said the Centre has sanctioned road infrastructure projects costing more than Rs 16,440 crore for the coastal state since 2014. While crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari for accelerating infrastructure development, Sawant said Goa received inadequate financial support for road projects before 2014 when the Congress-led UP was in power at the Centre. Addressing the inaugural session of 237th Mid-Term Council meeting of Indian Road Congress near Panaji in the presence of Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta, Sawant said infrastructure development has become one of the highest priorities of both the Centre and the state government. "Whenever a nation progresses, the first sign of development is seen on its roads. Roads create economic growth and improve the quality of life. The Union government sanctioned 124 national highway projects in Goa between 2014-15 and 2025-26 involving an investment of more than Rs 15,860 crore," the CM said. Besides these, 19 road safety projects worth Rs 378 crore and 18 projects under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) worth Rs 202 crore were also approved, taking the total investment in Goa's road infrastructure to over Rs 16,440 crore, Sawant added. Of this, more than Rs 7,240 crore has already been spent on execution of projects, resulting in a major transformation of the state's road network, Sawant added. "Goa has around 280 km of national highways, of which more than 126 km have already been upgraded to four-lane standards, while nearly 70 km are under construction or in the tendering stage," he said. Projects such as Atal Setu (new Zuari Bridge), Canacona bypass and widening of NH-66, NH-748 and NH-566 have significantly improved connectivity, reduced travel time, boosted tourism and strengthened economic activity, the CM added. Sawant said major projects, including Porvorim elevated corridor, four-laning of Ponda-Boma and Boma-Old Goa stretches, Navelim-Cuncolim and Betul-Canacona corridors, are progressing at various stages. He also stressed the government's focus on road safety through construction of flyovers, vehicular underpasses, foot overbridges, pedestrian facilities, service roads and rectification of accident-prone black spots. Placing Goa's demands before Tamta, Sawant sought continued central support for construction of the proposed Borim bridge across the Zuari river, estimated to cost around Rs 1,900 crore, besides the Mollem-Khandepar four-laning project, Margao western bypass and Sankhali bypass. PTI RPS BNM