PANJIM: Experts have warned that the Zuari Bridge traffic jam situation was a wake-up call as the same scenario is bound to repeat in Porvorim after the opening of the Mopa airport. The Government of Goa and responsible authorities have been urged to take all the stakeholders in confidence while the work of the Porvorim road begins.
GOACAN Convenor Roland Martins, Purushottam Verlekar and Urfan Mulla were speaking in the Point-Counter Point debate on Herald TV, which premiered on Thursday evening on Cable, YouTube and other social media
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Martins said, “Zuari Bridge construction-related traffic jams (which peaked in the fortnight before the bridge inauguration) is a wakeup call because the same scenario will be repeated in Porvorim after the opening of the Mopa airport. The order of the District Collector clearly stated that traffic marshals needed to be put on the roads. Have we seen a traffic marshal in the areas for the last two years in Agasaim? This similar situation will arise in Porvorim,” he warned.
“Inaugurating the bridge the problem may not be solved. We need to be prepared for new problems. We cannot say that there won’t be any problems. Are we ready to look at alternatives so that the bottlenecks are bypassed? Are we ready to have a plan in place? There is no plan that covers everything including disaster management,” Martins said.
The debate also discussed how there are small traffic jams happening every day on Porvorim road. “Let’s involve everybody. Public transport is important. We need to involve more people in the solution. The road safety committees along the highways and the Major District roads need to be included,” Martins added.
“To date, the encroachments that we suggested to be removed from roadsides have not been touched,” he added.
The discussion also revealed how the last mile connectivity task force formed under the aegis of PM Modi has only had two meetings in the State.
“Unless directives are given the departments won’t be forced to move,” said Martins.
Dr Purushottam Verlekar, who does the South to North Goa and back commute daily from Margao to his college in Assagao said, “Our own discipline has to be put in place. There should have been a better public transport facility in Goa. No one is considering options like the railway that runs parallel to the National Highway. It will reduce the pressure on roads. There are no alternatives or multiple routes available to bypass the traffic jams. We should have planned for a comprehensive mobility plan.”
The State BJP spokesperson Urfan Mullah said, “The suffering has been continuous for several years. Because of tourists’ arrival also there is a lot of traffic. The people, who have suffered for all this while, will be appreciating the work that has been put in to solve the problem once and for all.”
