PANAJI | Oct 03, 2016: The state government has decided to construct a mining corridor dedicated to ore transportation in the Quepem-Sanguem mining belt with chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar directing the Goa state infrastructure development corporation (GSIDC) to immediately tender the work.

The chief minister had asked mining companies to construct the mining corridor. But, with the villagers declaring that no trucks will be allowed to transport ore till the mining bypass is complete, the pressure is building on the government.

A group of villagers from Sanguem, Quepem and Curchorem, under ‘Mission Bypass’, had called on Parsekar earlier this month demanding that work on the mining bypass be completed as soon as possible.

Lambasting the government for dragging its feet over the mining bypass, Pradeep Kakodkar, a leader of ‘Mission Bypass’, said it is the need of the hour as trucks are forced to take the main road resulting in several fatal accidents.

Parsekar told TOI, “I have directed GSIDC to immediately tender the work for two phases - from Uguem to Gudamol and Gudamol to Capxem in Sanguem.” He added that the third phase of the work has been given to the public works department (PWD), who are yet to acquire property for the same.

GSIDC has placed the estimate for the work at 220 crore and has already acquired the property and completed alignment work. Last week, GSIDC made a presentation to mining companies about the proposed corridor.

When asked about contribution by mining companies, Parsekar, who holds the mining portfolio, said that these companies can participate in the tendering process and lower the actual cost of the tender as most of them have the machinery required to construct roads. The mining corridor is aimed at reducing traffic problems on village roads.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)