Team Herald
CANACONA: With the NH66 bypass over Talpona and Galgibaga-Mashem River nearing completion, the residents of southern Canacona are counting down the days till it is thrown open for vehicular traffic.
This may reduce the traveling time by 15 minutes while also saving precious fuel for the thousands of vehicles who are now using the crooked and narrow accident prone road via Poinginim.
However, the larger question which has escaped everyone’s attention is the hundreds of small businesses which thrived because of this road staring at drastic drop in business overnight when the alternate road is commissioned.
As the present, 17 km alignment winds its way from Chaudi bazaar through Poinguinim ultimately reaching Mashem since Portuguese era many local businesses were established and thrived since that time beside this route.
The new route is a blessing for the residents of Loliem-Polem village panchayat as the present alignment takes close to an hour to reach Chaudi and once the new road is inaugurated the same distance will be covered in less than half of that time.
However, the local bus operators are wary about the new development as they feel that once the new route is opened, they will have less passengers as most of the passengers from Loliem-Polem will prefer to go by the quick route.
Also there are at least a hundred shops, mostly run by locals, on this route which is the only source of income for their families. “Therefore, once the vehicular traffic is diverted over the new road, then, the small town bazaar areas of Mashem, Poinguinim, Bhatpal and Sristhal will wear a deserted look,” former Poiguinim deputy sarpanch Satish Painginkar said with sorrow.
“There are small eateries, bar and restaurants, provision stores amongst other shops dotting the present road. And once the new road is opened, the local population will not be enough to keep this enterprises running and ultimately the shopkeepers will have to wind up their activities,”Painginkar said.
Pav bhaji served at all the eateries at Bhatpal, Poinguinim and Mashem is very famous amongst the interstate travelers; and hundreds of taxis plying from North Karnataka to Dabolim airport to drop and pickup air travelers always stop here to savor the pau bhaji made with traditional recipe and these eatery owners will definitely feel the pinch the same day the new road opens said a shop owner who runs a store at Poinginim.
Most of the other small time shop keepers to whom this correspondent spoke to were of the opinion that the local law maker and deputy speaker Isidore Fernandes will come to their rescue in a way he feels good for them.
