Team Herald
PANJIM: Traffic congestion at Merces Circle and a host of civic issues came under sharp focus at the Merces gram sabha, with villagers passing a resolution seek- ing removal of the existing traffic signal and construc- tion of a flyover at the busy junction.
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Residents alleged that the Al-operated traffic signal at Merces junction was worsening congestion, particularly during peak hours. They claimed that the signal remains green for only around 20 seconds, resulting in long queues of vehicles stretching from Ribandar towards Chimbel and causing inconvenience to villagers and motorists.
The villagers said the ex- isting traffic management system was inadequate to handle the increasing vol- ume of vehicles passing through the junction. They demanded that the signal be removed and a flyo- ver constructed to ensure smoother movement of traffic.
As an immediate meas- ure, the gram sabha sought either suspension of the signal or an increase in its timing until a permanent solution is implemented.
Apart from traffic con- gestion, several civic issues were also raised during the meeting, including garbage management, waste segre- gation, parking, alleged illegal commercial activities, drainage and waterlogging.
Congress leader Amit Palekar urged the Merces Panchayat to take timely action on the issues raised by residents. He stressed the need to strengthen gar- bage collection and waste segregation and suggest- ed exploring corporate social responsibility (CS- R)-supported initiatives for providing dustbins and improving waste manage- ment.
Palekar also called for action against illegal com- mercial activities and urged the panchayat to address parking and drainage-relat- ed problems, particularly in areas affected by waterlog- ging.
