Digital Goa, Dec 5 – Bhoma villagers have expressed strong disagreement with the written reply given by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in the Lok Sabha regarding the National Highway 748 expansion, calling the statement “misguiding.” The villagers reiterated that their demand remains unchanged — a bypass road that avoids the residential and heritage cluster at Bhoma. The response from the Union Minister came to an unstarred question raised by South Goa MP Capt Viriato Fernandes, who sought clarity on whether the Government had considered alternative alignments, including those mentioned in the Regional Plan 2021 and a khazan-land route in order to avoid heritage and religious structures.
In his reply, Gadkari stated,“The alignment of NH-748 section in Goa including the stretch passing through Ponda Taluka has been finalized considering feasible alternatives including the Regional Plan 2021. The alignment has been designed in such a way so that no damage is done to the religious and heritage structures present along the alignment. further, based on outcome of Detailed Project Report, land acquisition along the existing highway has been optimised by providing elevated corridor in Bhoma village and the project has been sanctioned on 31.03.2025.”
