Panaji: Speaking at the mid-term council meeting of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) held at Dona Paula, chief minister Pramod Sawant revealed that Centre has sanctioned 124 national projects for Goa between 2014-15 and 2025-26, representing a massive total investment of Rs 15,860 crore.At the meeting, Union minister of state for roads, transport and highways Ajay Tamta assured Goa govt that the Centre will help expedite the Rs 1,900 crore four lane bridge at Borim across Zuari.“The Borim bridge will be included in the annual plan for the ministry. The other projects for road connectivity will also be included in the ministry’s annual budget, I can give this assurance to Goa govt,” said Tamta.Along with Borim bridge, Sawant also sought support in completing the Mollem-Khandepar Four-Laning Project, the Margao Eastern Bypass Road & Sanquelim Bypass.Tamta said that the funding for the Borim bridge and other key projects will be as per the funding pattern mentioned in the detailed project reports for each project.He also said that the projects proposed by Sawant have already been discussed with Union minister Nitin Gadkari.Providing a detailed breakdown of the state’s highway modernisation, the chief minister highlighted additional funding targeted at local mobility. Beyond the core highway grid, central govt has approved 19 road safety projects valued at Rs 378 crore alongside 18 Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) projects worth Rs 202 crore.This, said Sawant, has led Goa to witness its fastest-ever road infrastructure transformation, transitioning rapidly “from congestion to connectivity.”To date, Goa has spent Rs 7,240 crore of the funds sanctioned and this aggressive layout has successfully upgraded 126km of national highways to modern four-lane standards, with an additional 70km actively undergoing construction or entering the formal tendering phase, he said.Emphasising that infrastructure has become the “biggest priority” of his administration, Sawant underscored the direct relationship between transit routes and regional financial vitality. “Roads create economic growth,” Sawant said highlighting how the recent execution of bypasses, national highways, and arterial bridges has successfully enhanced logistical capacity while systematically reducing cross-state travel times.However, the chief minister said that this must not come at the cost of human life. He maintained that the primary objective of the state’s upgraded engineering standards remain commuter safety, with specific funding geared toward reducing accident black spots and improving safety for local traffic.PWD minister Digambar Kamat and infrastructure delegates from across the country attended the meeting.
