Panaji | Nov 02, 2016: The state government is exploring three options for funding the long-pending construction of a dedicated mining corridor for ore transportation in the Quepem-Sanguem mining belt. The first option involves mining companies funding the project, the second involves the government bringing in a private party to do the construction work and the third involves the government funding the project.
Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who is also mines minister, had earlier held a meeting with mining companies and associate organizations to discuss funding of the project.
Parsekar told TOI that the government has placed the proposal before the Goa mineral ore exporters association (GMOEA), the main trading body of mine owners, and it is up to the mining companies to decide whether they will fund the project and later recover the money by charging mining trucks toll.
We are waiting for GMOEA's reply," Parsekar said.
Goa state infrastructure development corporation (GSIDC) has prepared a tender document to take up work for two phases of the mining bypass — from Uguem to Gudamol and Gudamol to Capxem in Sanguem.
GSIDC has placed the estimate for the work at Rs 220 crore and has already acquired property for the first two phases of the mining corridor and completed alignment work.
Earlier, GSIDC had made a presentation about the proposed corridor to mining companies. Work for the third phase has been given to the public works department (PWD), who are yet to acquire property for the same.
Last month, a group of villagers from Sanguem, Quepem and Curchorem, under the banner 'Mission Bypass', had called on Parsekar demanding that work on the mining bypass be completed as soon as possible. The tendering process gained impetus after villagers declared that no trucks will be allowed to transport ore till the mining bypass is complete, building pressure on the government.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)