Margao: Angered by the delay in completing the Western Bypass section in Salcete, the Bombay High Court (HC) in Goa has asked the state government and the contractor to provide fresh affidavits regarding the deadline to complete the project.
Examining the progress of the final section of the Western Bypass in the taluka, the HC directed both the contractor and the government to explain about the delay. The government said the remaining 2.75 km would be completed by May, while the contractor suggested a completion date of September, prompting the court to request a fresh affidavit detailing the current situation and reasons for the longer timeline. .
The Court criticized the contractor’s apparent focus on arbitration and demand for higher compensation rather than giving priority to timely completion of the project.
Highlighting the repeated delays, the Court noted the contractor’s earlier assurance of completing the work by December 31, 2023, which has now been extended to September 30, 2024, the contractor’s recent application for further delay The concerns are clear.
The HC, which has been monitoring the progress of the project since 2015 in connection with the suo motu petition, accepted the state government’s plea that a status report on the work would be filed soon.
