from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Aug 30: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has expressed surprise at the government's interest in going ahead with the Expressway despite the concept being inappropriate to Goan conditions.

In a press note, NCP general secretary and spokesperson Surendra Furtado said such plans are generally mooted primarily for trafficking of goods to huge distances.

"Goa has neither the land nor the capacity for such plans. This state will eventually  emerge  as a corridor for someone else's benefit", he said, adding that the Expressway also envisages building of fences which would make locals resort to taking long detours to reach their destination.

Furtado said that it is ironic that the State government was talking about Expressway when it continues to struggle to resolve the garbage menace.

Furtado lamented that the price of petrol has reached "the nose" with yet another hike on the cards and therefore foresaw a further attempt to burden the common man by building such useless projects.

The NCP spokesman said that even if the government plans to build this Expressway under any scheme it envisages, it will ultimately burden the already overburdened common man. "Our priorities ought to be re-oriented", he added.