Work on mining corridors in Goa likely to start next month

The work on the much-awaited mining corridors to ease the congestion on the main roads in Goa due to trucks carrying iron ore is likely to start next month, a senior official said today.
As a part of the project, a network of roads has been planned in South Goa district so that trucks avoid the main roads while transporting the iron ore from the mining leases to jetties on the river fronts.
"The work on the mining corridor connecting Guddemol to Kapxem in South Goa, costing around Rs 100 crore, will begin from February. Attempts are being made to ensure that the work begins on time," Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) Chairman Deepak Pauskar told PTI today.

The state run-GSIDC has been appointed as the nodal agency to construct these corridors.
Pauskar said the earlier planned work on the corridor from Tilamol to Rivona in South Goa has been delayed as the mining leases around that road are yet to resume operations due to some environmental issues, following closure in 2012.
He also said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will hold a meeting soon for clarity on the funding of the project.

It is yet not clear whether the cost of the project would be borne by the District Mineral Fund (a fund collected from mine owners), the state government or the Centre.

Pauskar said almost all clearances required for the project are also in place.
The forest department is also likely to soon give a no objection certificate (NOC) for the project, as the roads run through its area, he added.
In 2011, then chief minister Digambar Kamat had mooted the idea of having dedicated mining corridors in Goa.
However, it could not take shape as there were funding issues after the mining companies declined to finance it.
Later, the iron ore extraction industry was hit hard by the ban in September 2012.