TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024
Daniel F de Souza
In what can be termed as a shocking revelation, Superintendent of Traffic (North) Bossuet D’Silva has recently stated that of the 5,000-odd suggestions made by them to the Government departments for implementation to curb the rising menace of roads accidents, only 20% have been so far implemented for the last two years. This can be termed as the height of inefficiency and carelessness on the part of whichever department that was supposed to act and carryout the works.
I don’t think the Goan public needs any more proof to confirm the seriousness with which some of our Government departments work. It is a pity that their action is found wanting on such a crucial subject like road accidents which are claiming innocent lives practically every day of the month. The number of road accidents Goa is witnessing in the recent months is simply frightening and nerve shattering. Accidents and fatalities are the talk of town. Have we lost all sensibilities? Don’t we feel a little remorse when young lives are snuffed out in the prime of youth? Don’t we feel saddened to read about minor innocent children being orphaned due to road accidents? Is it not painful to hear the only bread earner in the family fell victim to someone’s over speeding? Do we always on every small issue have to come out on the streets with placards and shout out to enlighten the authorities to act? Where are we heading? If smoking is injurious to health and dust pollution is bad for our lungs, driving on Goan roads is even worse. The figures are there for all to see. Is not one fatality per day on account of road accidents on Goan roads not enough to wake us up?
We cannot always be targeting or blaming the Traffic Police for the rising number of accidents witnessed in the state. They too have their own limitations and operational difficulties. It is practically not easy or possible for them to be present on every road or highway. If the motorists themselves have lost all sense of road discipline and consider the major roads and highways as a racing track, flout all traffic rules, indulge in over speeding then accidents are bound to happen despite the best of surveillance. The accident prone ‘Atal Sethu’ after several earlier accidents has finally claimed one life that happened perhaps due to over speeding. It is hoped that the concerned authorities will take this incident seriously and go all out to make driving on the ‘Atal Sethu’ a safe proposition. Those caught violating the speed limits on our bridges should be dealt with seriously.
As a matter of fact, the suggestions put forth by the Traffic Department to minimize road accidents by carrying out necessary corrections on our roads and highways should have been treated on outmost priority and implemented on a war footing. Goa is boasting of its world renowned status as the most sought after tourist destination in the South Asian region. But alas! In a land where we welcome our tourists and treat them with the salutation of ‘Athiti Devo Bhava’ sadly they themselves are sometimes the victims of road accidents. No doubt death is an uncertain certainty, but when it happens accidentally to someone who is on a holiday with his family outside his/her state, then it is all the more shocking and traumatic to the victims’ family back home. Tourists irrespective of their social status, plan in advance and visit other states and countries for enjoying a well-deserved holiday with their family, to take a break from hectic job schedules with an understanding that that they will be safe during their stay. They don’t go to a distant land to die prematurely on account of bad roads or lack of a disciplined traffic system. Since tourism is seen as the backbone of our Goan economy and the Government is promoting tourism on a large scale by holding road shows and tourism Marts outside the state and in foreign lands, it’s the responsibility of the Government to establish a fool proof disciplined traffic system, motorable and well illuminated roads, which will ensure safety of the visitors to the land. The Government should ensure in providing state of the art facilities to the visiting tourists including the safety of road travels in and around the state. Talking about upgrading tourism infrastructure in the state to attract high end tourists, the state roads, public transport system, automated traffic signalling system and a round the clock traffic surveillance system should take priority over everything else. We have been concentrating so much on developing our beach tourism that in the bargain we have forgotten that the state needs to have safe, wide, pothole free and well illuminated roads from the North to South.
When the DGP himself expresses his helplessness in curbing the growing number of road accidents and fatalities, and goes a step further and apologizes to the general public for their failure, I think it’s time to ponder and introspect that there is something seriously wrong in the entire system. This is serious and needs to be dealt with seriously, if not, Goa will soon hold the title for being the leading state for roads accidents and fatalities.
It would not be out of context if I say that the system of issuing driving licenses too needs a close scrutiny and revamped in totality so as to ensure that only qualified persons are issued the driving licenses after a stringent test. If need be, a written examination should be introduced for those applying for a two wheeler/four wheeler driving license. The actual on road driving test to an applicant should be held on the busy roads and highways to ascertain his/her license worthiness and not on some internal roads and as is being done now. This is the most primitive and outdated method of testing the skills of a new driver. Officers of impeccable integrity and no-nonsense attitude should be posted as the licensing authority.
It is hoped the Finance Minister in the forthcoming state budget will make sufficient budgetary allocation for setting up a fool proof automated traffic system in place not only our highways but on all the major roads. The implementation of the suggestions put forth by the Traffic Police should be given priority with a time frame and monitored closely at the level of the Transport Secretary. The number of Traffic Cell personnel should also be increased for strict monitoring and surveillance of our roads and highways on a round the clock basis with access to the latest technology. It’s high time the state introduces high tech surveillance system to control road accidents on the highways and major roads in Goa with control rooms set up at all vulnerable locations. The CCTV cameras installed in our towns should be monitored by a competent officer at the nearest police station and they should be functional 24x7 and not be mere ornamental pieces. All that one need is a strong will to bring in the change.
(The writer is a Vasco based Konkani author, freelance writer and TV anchor)
