Ponda: The Bhoma panchayat has withheld the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the proposed new Banastarim bridge, citing a lack of clarity in the project proposal submitted by the Public Works Department (PWD) for the expansion of the Kali Mati-Old Goa stretch of NH-748.
“The PWD sought the panchayat’s NOC for the proposed the Banastarim bridge. The matter was discussed in the panchayat meeting, and considering the lack of clarity in the proposal, the panchayat unanimously decided to withhold the NOC,”Sarpanch Abdul Khan told reporters on Sunday.
The decision has received strong support from villagers, who continue to demand a bypass instead of a flyover and road widening through Bhoma.
“The proposal does not clearly state whether the Bhoma stretch will have a flyover or simple road widening. Until the government submits a detailed and transparent plan, the panchayat cannot issue the NOC,” said Khan.
Social activist Sanjay Naik said the panchayat had acted in the interest of the village.
“How was the project tendered without first showing the land acquisition plan to the affected people? Our stand remains unchanged—we are not against development, but we want a bypass to protect Bhoma village,” he said.
Villagers fear that if the project involves road widening instead of a flyover, it could affect houses, temples and other structures. Reiterating that the village is not opposed to development, the panchayat and residents maintained that their priority is a bypass to protect Bhoma village. They also questioned the absence of detailed plans for land acquisition and other components of the project.
The panchayat said that the NOC will remain on hold until the government submits a clear roadmap for the Kali Mati-Old Goa highway expansion, along with separate and detailed plans for the bridge and road project.
