Goa: Gadkari approves Rs 100 crore to fix ‘black spots’ on roads
VASCO: Union Road and Highway Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday sanctioned Rs 100 crore to fix accident-prone black spots on roads across the state.
He also announced creation of new road work projects worth Rs 10,000 crore in the annual plan. Nearly 90 percent land acquisition for these works has been completed and will start within the next six months.
Speaking during the inauguration of the second phase of the newly signed Zuari Bridge, Gadkari said the state government has submitted a proposal of Rs 177 crore to fix these black spots.
He also approved Rs 40 crore for the Western Bypass in lieu of Rs 450 crore spent by the state to improve road infrastructure during the G20 summit.
Gadkari assured the government to sanction Rs 100 crore for the state under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) and Setu Bandhan Scheme. Goa government had submitted proposals worth Rs 300 crore under CRIF.
Gadkari said that the visitors gallery and art gallery above Zuari Bridge will be built in PPP mode by spending Rs 280 crore. Tourists will arrive by boat and use a capsule lift to go up to the gallery.
After laying the foundation stone of the Rs 280 crore Viewing Gallery project and elevated corridor in Porvorim, he said the Viewing Gallery project will bring international fame to the tourism state. He also proposed a light and sound show using the bridge as a backdrop depicting the history of Goa.
Gadkari advised the state government to appoint an international consultant to propose and plan development facilities for tourists along the national highways, which will henceforth be established in the state.
Gadkari also advised the government to convert tourist taxis in the state to green fuel.
The Union Minister requested the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister to pay special attention to addressing the forest and environmental issues related to the proposed 69 km long Goa to Karnataka border road at a cost of Rs 5,200 crore and assured them that he would take up . In this regard, Union Minister of Environment and Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
He said that the work of converting about 212 km long National Highway from two lane to four lane at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore is going on and the work of 96 km has been completed.
In his address, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that in the last 10 years, MoRTH has spent more than Rs 25,000 crore to improve the state’s road infrastructure. He asked to talk to the Union Railway Minister for providing rail connectivity to Mopa International Airport.
