Four-laning of Bendordem to Canacona bypass at Rs 950cr

Panaji: Work of four-laning of the Bendordem to Canacona bypass of the national highway, covering 22km, will begin soon, with Rs 952 crore sanctioned for the project by the Union highways ministry. The work has already been awarded to the contractor in Jan this year, officials said.

The expansion of the NH-66 from Bendordem to the start of the Canacona bypass forms an integral part of the Mumbai-to-Kanyakumari four-lane corridor. Also, the detailed project report (DPR) for expansion of the highway from Cuncolim to Bendordem has been submitted for sanction to the ministry. The work is expected to cost Rs 1,877 crore for a 8.7km section.

This project will include construction of the Cuncolim bypass, which will require land acquisition. The bypass has been planned after traffic flow on the NH-66 has increased over the past few years and vehicles speed through village roads in Cuncolim. The road near Uskinibandh has turned accident-prone in recent months with several fatal accidents on the stretch from Uskinibandh to Panzorconi.

The bypass has been proposed from Uskinibandh to Bendordem, officials said.

Both projects are being taken up on a hybrid annuity model, where govt provides 40% of the project cost as construction support to the private developer during construction. The remaining 60% is paid as annuity payments over the concession period, along with interest. Govt also makes separate payments for operations and maintenance, officials said.

From Cuncolim to Canacona is a crucial highway artery connecting the towns of Margao, Cuncolim, and Canacona. It will traverse the villages of Bendordem, Cordem, Barcem and Canacona. This stretch is vital to facilitate the inter-state traffic with Karnataka and Maharashtra, which will also improve intra-state connectivity to Panaji and Margao.

These two are one of the pilot projects in the country chosen for implementation of AI-driven technology, after it was successfully tested in the construction of the Lucknow-Kanpur expressway project.

The ministry will use automated and intelligent machine-aided construction (AIMC) for this project.

Officials said that AIMC was found useful in projects requiring a significant amount of earthwork like the Goa project. GPS-guided machines and 3D modelling, among other technologies, will be used to ensure that the construction is as close to the design as possible. The aim of AIMC is to aid quality management.