VASCO: The teachers of Mata Secondary School (MSS) Baina have threatened to block the road near the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) football ground if the government does not repair it soon. They informed that the road was in a bad condition for many years and that they had complained to the authorities several times. The situation has worsened with the rains, but there is still no sign of repairs.
Over 1,000 people, including students of MSS and other Vasco schools, use the road as it is a shortcut from Vasco to Baina via the railway over bridge. MSS Principal Subhas Shirodkar said, “It appears that no one cares for our hardships, and thus, the important road is neglected. Even former chief minister Digambar Kamat inspected the road in 2010 and assured to take up the issue, but nothing happened thereafter.”
Aggrieved teachers also informed that the road was used excessively by residents of Baina and neighbouring areas during the Vasco Saptah festival, but still the same could not be tarred due to jurisdiction issues.
MSS physical education teacher Nilesh Naik said, “We were informed that the road stretch falls in the jurisdiction of Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). MPT failed to issue an NOC to the authorities to repair the road and install streetlights along the route. Such decisions can be sorted out at easily at the administration level, but why there is a delay only people in the administration can tell.”
The teachers have now threatened to come out on the streets with the students if the administration does not take the issue seriously. MSS teacher Eknath Mahale said, “This is the only access road to the school, but it is full of potholes and is posing a high risk to the students and teachers, besides other commuters. The potholes are also filled with rainwater. Since the administration is doing nothing, we have decided to launch an agitation and will soon block the road in order to make our voices heard.”
