Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated the newly built Porvorim Elevated Corridor and several key infrastructure projects in Goa to streamline regional traffic and improve connectivity.
Key Infrastructure Highlights
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Porvorim Elevated Corridor: Built at a cost of Rs 641 crore, this six-lane elevated section on NH-66 eliminates severe bottlenecks in the Porvorim area.
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Zuari Bridge Project: Spanning 13.2 km, this eight-lane corridor across the Zuari River functions as India’s second-longest cable-stayed bridge. It features twin 125-metre observatory towers, provisions for a revolving restaurant, and an art gallery.
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Corridor Integration: The upgrades connect critical transit hubs like Panaji, Margao, and Vasco da Gama, creating a seamless link between North and South Goa while diverting heavy freight traffic away from residential zones.
Additional Announcements and Benefits
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Toll Deferred: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that toll collection on the newly opened corridor has been temporarily deferred following intervention from the Union Minister.
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Eco-Friendly Integration: The elevated structure incorporates a dedicated rainwater harvesting mechanism to channel surface runoff from the highway down to the ground for sustainable reuse.
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Upcoming Projects: Gadkari revealed that the 10-km Ponda-Bhoma stretch—costing an estimated Rs 557 crore—will break ground in October 2026 with a completion target of October 2028. Furthermore, approvals are slated for the remaining 34-km section of the Hyderabad-Goa corridor to bolster interstate transit with Telangana and Karnataka.
