Strange this may seem, but true. Attributed it to misplaced priorities or ill-conceived planning, the PWD, National Highway is trying to bulldoze through with a plan to build a flyover at Dandeavaddo-Chinchinim, while repeated pleas by the Benaulim villagers to build a flyover at Tolleaband-Benaulim stand cold shouldered.
In fact, even as Benaulim villagers were anxiously awaiting a message from Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on the plea to build the western bypass passing through Tolleaband water body on stilts, beleaguered residents of Dandeavaddo, Chinchinim led by village Sarpanch Valentino Barretto on Thursday have been knocking the doors of all and sundry with a fervent plea to scrap the proposed flyover at Dandeavaddo on the NH 66 and instead go for a road bypass.
In fact, Thursday saw the Chinchinim villagers led by village Sarpanch Valentino Barretto seeking the intervention of Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai after their pleas to the Goa government and the Centre for a road bypass have fallen on deaf ears.
After the Chinchinim Sarpanch explained the Goa Forward Chief why the people have been demanding a road bypass over a flyover, Sardesai said it is a sheer irony that the government wants to bulldoze with the flyover at Dandeavaddo-Chinchinim while cold shouldering a plea for bypass on stilts at Benaulim.
“This only goes to show the government’s arrogance and its penchance to bulldoze with projects against the wishes of the people. At Dandeavaddo, the people do not want a flyover passing through their residential locality, but the government is hell bent on building the flyover. Benaulim villagers have been waging a sustained struggle for building the western bypass on stilts, but the government appears determined to build the bypass via earthen embankments”, Sardesai said.
He added: “If the government is keen in spending Rs 500 crore on the flyover at Dandeavaddo, it’s better they divert the funds to Benaulim and save the village from inundation during monsoons.”
He lamented that the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is not even ready to give the people of Dandeavaddo-Chinchinim an audience to submit a petition. ‘What are these people supposed to do in such a situation. They are being left with no option than to raise their voices. My call to the Chief Minister and to the government is to listen to the people,” he said, while saying the Goa forward will help the people to explore all options, including knocking the doors of the judiciary for justice.
He warned the government that the people will teach them a lesson at the right time.
Chinchinim Sarpanch Valentino Barretto informed that the people have been demanding a road bypass at Dandeavaddo since 2009 on the NH 66 as a long term solution to the traffic woes witnessed at the Dandeavaddo junction.
“The government has frozen land on both sides of the Highway. People cannot do any development on their land. A flyover will divide the village into two halves. The gram sabha resolutions adopted by the Chinchinim village Panchayat would reveal that people have been consistently fighting for a road bypass”, Valentino added.
