18 Aug 2017 | 05:12am IST
Tension prevails at MES College junction
Accident involving 4 vehicles leaves rider seriously injured; Locals block NH 17 B over delay in installing the traffic signals
VASCO: Tension prevailed at MES College junction in Zuarinagar, Sancoale on Thursday evening following an accident involving a car and three motorcycles, which left a rider seriously injured as residents blocked the National Highway 17 B over the delay in installing the traffic signals.
According to the information, the residents of MES College residential area in Zuarinagar have been upset over the undue delay in installing the traffic signals, which have led to frequent accidents.
The blockade remained for over 15 minutes with protestors expressing their outrage over the increasing number of accidents.
They demanded immediate action in making the junction an accident-free zone. The residents remained adamant with their demand that until and unless the police give an assurance to deploy traffic police at the junction, they will continue with the blockade.
“We have been demanding traffic signals, speed breakers, deployment of traffic policemen besides improvement of the MES College junction, which has become a death trap. However, all our requests have fallen on deaf ears. Similarly, on several occasions in past, we had even warned the authorities concerned that we would be compelled to block national highway if our issues are not resolved, but no one took our warnings seriously,” said Edward Fernandes, a resident of MES College residential area.
Another resident Ismail Gazala said, “Accidents have become a routine affair at MES College junction. All these years, we have been only hearing that junction will be improved but nothing has happened.
Thus after today’s accident, locals, who were already upset with the inaction of concerned authorities, blocked the highway in order to draw the attention of the concerned authorities that we all residents of MES college residential area and over a thousand students studying at MES College are suffering”.
Supporting the locals in their demand, Sancoale sarpanch Girish Pillai who was present at the site demanded that the police should immediately make provisions to deploy traffic policemen at the junction during peak hours besides installing speed breakers on all sides of the junction on a war footing.
Traffic along the Dabolim-Verna road on the NH 17 B was brought to a halt. Verna police was immediately alerted and PI Uday Parab rushed to the site along with a team of policemen. Even Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha rushed to the site and after having discussions with Saldanha and Pillai, residents decided to call of their protest and the blockade was cleared.
“I have made a letter to the concerned departments to immediately deploy traffic policemen to regulate the traffic from tomorrow and in long run to install traffic signals at MES college junction which is one of the accident-prone zones. I have assured the residents that I will personally follow up the proposals in making the junction an accident-free zone,” MLA Saldanha said.
Rider injured in accident
According to Verna police, the accident at the MES college junction occurred at around 6 pm when the driver of Hyundai Verna car with four occupants was proceeding towards Verna from Vasco. When he reached near MES college junction, the driver lost control over the vehicle and dashed against three two-wheelers, leaving a rider - Sandeep Rathod seriously injured. The impact of the accident was such that the car turned turtle. However, the occupants escaped without minor injuries. Verna police is further investigation into the case.
