₹15,000cr Maharashtra-Karnataka ring road to decongest Goa: Gadkari
What's the story
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has announced a ring road project costing between ₹12,000 crore and ₹15,000 crore.
The road will connect Maharashtra to Karnataka by running along the outer side of Goa. It is expected to ease traffic congestion in the tourism-heavy coastal state.
The announcement was made at a foundation stone-laying ceremony for an observatory tower on the new Zuari Bridge in South Goa.
Project details
Ring road project aims to divert national highway traffic
The ring road project was conceived on the request of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Union Minister of State for Power and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik.
The duo had sought an alternative route to divert existing traffic from the national highway.
Gadkari said, "The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is considering a ring road from Patradevi (village on the Goa-Maharashtra border) to Karnataka."
Tourist attraction
Observatory tower inspired by Eiffel Tower
The observatory tower, which will be built on a public-private partnership model, is inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
It will have viewing decks, an observatory, a restaurant, and other amenities.
Gadkari said that this project would make Goa an international tourist attraction and generate revenue through GST on visitor tickets.
He also suggested displaying Goa's history of liberation using technology at the viewing gallery of the tower.
Infrastructure development
Additional infrastructure projects announced for Goa
Apart from the ring road and observatory tower, Gadkari also announced other infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores.
These include a ₹1,200 crore four-lane road from Cuncolim to Benurdem in South Goa and a ₹2,000 crore four-lane road from the Karnataka border to Mollem.
Further, ₹1,000 crore will be spent on four-laning the stretch between Mollem and Khandekar.
A new bridge near Borim across the Zuari River will also be constructed at a cost of ₹1,200 crore.