Minister Khaunte reviews six-lane corridor works, ensures minimal traffic disruption

Goa Khabar : In a press conference held on October 21, 2025, at Porvorim, Hon’ble Minister for IT, Tourism, Printing & Stationery, and MLA of Porvorim, Rohan Khaunte, reviewed the progress of the Six-Lane Elevated Corridor and outlined measures to ease traffic movement and minimize inconvenience to the public.

The Minister highlighted that coordinated efforts among departments over the past weeks have helped address key congestion points between Mapusa and Panaji. Several new steps were discussed, including opening additional lanes, converting selected parking stretches into motorable roads, and identifying alternate routes to ensure smoother vehicular flow. With the tender process cleared by the Public Works Department, the next phase of works is set to begin shortly.

Khaunte directed officials to enforce strict dust control, maintain effective night-time monitoring, and carry out regular water sprinkling and hot-mixing to improve road quality. With the end of the monsoon, hot-mixing activities will accelerate, ensuring better driving conditions for commuters.

As a continuation of these discussions, on October 22, 2025, Khaunte conducted an on-site inspection of the Six-Lane Elevated Corridor at Porvorim along with Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza and the North Goa Collector to review the implementation of the measures discussed during the press conference.

During the inspection, the Minister reiterated that work should progress without full road closures to avoid inconvenience to locals and visitors, especially during the ongoing tourist season.

 “Goenkars shouldn’t face any difficulty during this work. The tourism season has begun, and locals rely on this route for their daily commute. If the PWD looks into this closely, alternative routes can be opened to ensure smooth flow of traffic,” said Khaunte.

He added that there are practical ways to continue work while maintaining traffic flow. Construction along the Porvorim Bazaar section will begin during the night hours from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., allowing the road to remain open for traffic during the day. Heavy vehicles will be diverted via Karaswada Road to reduce congestion.

The Minister further informed that discussions with National Highway stakeholders have been held to ensure that any temporary access created during construction is restored once the work is completed. He also requested the North Goa Collector to share key points from the inspection and the previous day’s deliberations with the Hon’ble Chief Minister and PWD Minister, to ensure solutions are implemented without the need for road closures.

Khaunte instructed that service roads be cleared and made operational at the earliest to facilitate smoother movement. “Our focus is on constructive solutions that allow continuous work without causing stoppages. The aim is to achieve development while ensuring daily convenience for our people,” he said.

The Minister expressed confidence that by next week, major bottlenecks would be resolved, ensuring smoother traffic movement across Porvorim as work on the elevated corridor progresses efficiently.