Team Herald:
MARGAO: Margao on Tuesday witnessed bumper to bumper traffic the whole day due to the pathetic condition of the roads in the city even as Shadow Council for Margao presented a memorandum to the Collector demanding action against the contractor for using substandard material.
Savio Coutinho of Shadow Council for Margao disclosed that the roads in Margao were asphalted during the defect liability period and are supposed to last for three years but the roads in Margao he said have been washed away in three months only.
“Action should be taken against the contractor and his company should be made to pay for the repairs,” said Savio, while pointing out that this is the second time the roads are washed out for the same reason.
He said the very fact that only gravel can be seen on the road, which is causing hazardous conditions for motorists who slip and fall, proves that sub standard material was used and the tar has been washed away.
He also pointed out that at some places there are too many potholes making it very difficult to commute on the road while at other places the road has totally been washed away and said along with the contractor action should also be taken against the PWD engineer who approved the work with substandard material.
“The PWD Engineers and the contractor have cheated the public ex-chequer and the general public and hence should be booked for cheating and corruption,” said Savio. The collector after listening to him said he would look into the matter.
“We all know that Goa received excessive rainfall this year but the roads should be good and safe for the people,” said Collector Ajit Roy.
Meanwhile Leader of Opposition and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat said not only the roads in Margao, but all over the State are in a bad state. “Not a single MLA stood in the assembly when I asked them to stand if the roads in their constituency are good,” he said implying that roads all over are bad.
It may be recalled that Congress had on August 10, demanded that the roads in Margao be attended to before Ganesh Chaturthi.
“The roads are bad and people because of the rains prefer to travel in their four wheelers, which adds to the problem,” said DySP Serafin Dias.
