Karnala: The project affected villagers of Karnala stretch of Mumbai-Goa highway (NH-66) demanded employment in highway construction work and toll booths. They have formed an association called 'Karnala Division Highway Project Victims Development Association, under the guidance of Santosh Kumar, a social worker to put their demands.
They said that they should be given priority in Mumbai-Goa National Highway development works. Santosh Thakur said, "A number of works will be carried out as part of the high way development like beautification, painting, planting trees, repairing side strips, concrete work among others. Locals who lost their land for the highway project should be given priority as co-contractors or workers or at Kharpada toll booths."
He added that the National Highway Authority officials should call a meeting of the representatives of the project-affected organizations and the stakeholders as soon as possible in their presence.
Secretary of the association Raju Parashuram Patil said, "The Highway authority is ignoring the demands of the project victims even already given them in writing ".
