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Panaji: At a special gram sabha of Bhoma-Adcolna panchayat on Sunday, villagers reiterated their opposition to the expansion of the road passing through the village. They expressed their dismay at PWD minister Nilesh Cabral’s statement where he said “the government was firm on its decision of widening the road”.
Villagers have been demanding that a bypass be constructed so that houses and temples are saved from demolition at Bhoma.
“The road widening is being planned without studying the reality on ground. Some important temples in the village constructed in the mid-1800s will be lost to road expansion. It is still not too late. The road alignment has not yet been drawn. Our demand is that the government consider a bypass instead,” a villager said.
Bhoma is one of Goa’s smallest villages. However, a road passing through Bhoma acts as a crucial link between Ponda taluka and the state capital Panaji. This road is now set for widening, worrying locals that it will mean the end of village life as they know it.
“Don’t touch our houses and temples and we will not have any reason to oppose,” said another woman.
In the past, the Bhoma-Adcolna panchayat had already passed resolutions against the expansion and villagers demanded a bypass for the national highway, which could pass outside the village limits. Locals said that four temples are set to lose most of their structure to the expansion, one of which is more than two centuries old.
“The villagers have not constructed their houses overnight. These are our family houses built over generations. The PWD minister needs to get his facts right,” said an elderly villager.
Villagers state that a significant part of Bhoma is already taken up by industrial units and if the highway expansion takes up any more space, the village will lose its identity.
Residents said that RTI documents provided to them show that the road will be extended by up to 30m, which would mean the development work would swallow a major part of the village temple and other important structures.
In the past, the Bhoma-Adcolna panchayat had already passed resolutions against the expansion and villagers demanded a bypass for the national highway, which could pass outside the village limits. Locals said that four temples are set to lose most of their structure to the expansion
Villagers have been demanding that a bypass be constructed so that houses and temples are saved from demolition at Bhoma.
“The road widening is being planned without studying the reality on ground. Some important temples in the village constructed in the mid-1800s will be lost to road expansion. It is still not too late. The road alignment has not yet been drawn. Our demand is that the government consider a bypass instead,” a villager said.
Bhoma is one of Goa’s smallest villages. However, a road passing through Bhoma acts as a crucial link between Ponda taluka and the state capital Panaji. This road is now set for widening, worrying locals that it will mean the end of village life as they know it.
“Don’t touch our houses and temples and we will not have any reason to oppose,” said another woman.
In the past, the Bhoma-Adcolna panchayat had already passed resolutions against the expansion and villagers demanded a bypass for the national highway, which could pass outside the village limits. Locals said that four temples are set to lose most of their structure to the expansion, one of which is more than two centuries old.
“The villagers have not constructed their houses overnight. These are our family houses built over generations. The PWD minister needs to get his facts right,” said an elderly villager.
Villagers state that a significant part of Bhoma is already taken up by industrial units and if the highway expansion takes up any more space, the village will lose its identity.
Residents said that RTI documents provided to them show that the road will be extended by up to 30m, which would mean the development work would swallow a major part of the village temple and other important structures.
In the past, the Bhoma-Adcolna panchayat had already passed resolutions against the expansion and villagers demanded a bypass for the national highway, which could pass outside the village limits. Locals said that four temples are set to lose most of their structure to the expansion
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