During his recent visit to Goa, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, suggested exploring the development of a township along the proposed ring road in Goa’s ghats area. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has appointed a consultant to conduct a study and prepare a detailed project report for the construction of a ring road along Goa’s ghats, allowing interstate traffic to bypass the state’s roads.
The study, costing Rs 10 crore, aims to facilitate traffic from Karnataka and Maharashtra to traverse the Western Ghats at Goa without contributing to the state’s traffic congestion. The proposed circular bypass road is planned from Patradevi to Dodamarg and from Keri to Mollem and Collem.
The township development idea was suggested by Gadkari to capitalize on the potential of the area, turning it into a tourist attraction with various facilities and entertainment spaces. However, officials are awaiting the consultant’s report to assess the feasibility of such a township project, considering the challenging ghat section terrain and potential environmental impacts, including the loss of trees.
Goa envisions that connecting all five of the state’s border checkposts with the circular road will boost hinterland tourism and the rural economy. The ring road is also anticipated to support the government’s plan to transform Manohar International Airport at Mopa into a logistics hub. Given Goa’s already high vehicle density and accident frequency, the concern is that additional vehicles entering the state would exacerbate congestion and accidents. The proposed ring road aims to address these concerns by providing a smoother route for interstate traffic.