The government of Goa has sought better connectivity with Karnataka, its neighbour.
This proposal was announced at a meeting of Public Works Ministers of various States, chaired by Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin Gadkari in Panaji on Sunday.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant demanded that the Union government support the construction of a highway between Goa and Belagavi. The new road, he said, will run parallel to the existing highway between Sanquelim and Belagavi.
Mr. Gadkari has agreed to give approval to the proposal and asked him to submit a detailed project report, Mr. Sawant, who holds the Public Works portfolio, said.
Public Works Minister and Belagavi district in-charge Satish Jarkiholi was present in the meeting.
Mr. Sawant said that the proposed road will pass through the inter-State border at Sanquelim to Chorla- Khanapur.
He said that an older proposal to widen the existing highway has been dropped due to environmental concerns and that a new route has been mapped.
He said that the proposal is dependent on forest clearance.
Mr. Sawant said that a proposal to lay a stretch of the national highway between Anmod to Goa is pending.
Mr. Jarkiholi said that Karnataka will cooperate with the projects, if the Union government gives the go-ahead.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha member from Goa Sadanand Shet Tanavade has written a letter to Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urging him to introduce a daily passenger train between Vasco-da-Gama and Belagavi, with stops at Londa and Dudhsagar stations.
It will help foster and grow trade, commerce, medical, tourism, education and other relations between the two States, he said.
Before gauge conversion, the Railway Board ran a train between Miraj and Vasco-da-Gama that passed through Belagavi. But it has been stopped, the MP said.
Mr. Tanavade also raised the issue during the recent Parliament session.
