Atal Setu: A road to hell with potholes!
Yes, we do get disguised at times when buying a book looking at the cover page. Just imagine a professional photographer shoots few postcard photos looking through his expensive camera lens from a distance of “Atal Setu” an iconic bridge and later feels to have a jolly ride, but unfortunately is greeted by a huge pothole, where his bike turtles, breaking his camera and losing the images that he had clicked and lands into GMC with injuries? In such incident, where do we stand? In shame or in pride? Apart from public and media notifying the potholes on one of the most iconic and expensive bridges “Atal Setu” and elsewhere in Goa, yet the authorities are dragging their feet for the monsoon to hit with no respect to injuries or deaths due to negligence. Are they looking for rocket scientist to fix this? A rough and unexpected jolt can cause severe structural damage to your vehicle and the impact can have a catastrophic human injuries and even death. Taking note of almost 3,600 deaths reported last year alone due to potholes on roads across the country, the Supreme Court said it was “unfortunate” that some States were disputing the data published by the Centre on such accidental deaths provided by them to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) on the ground that the figures were not verified by the Transport Departments of the respective States. After paying for increased petrol price, paying road tax and tolls, what are we getting in return – injuries and deaths, how sad!
Gaston Dias, Sarzora
Close Atal Setu temporarily
Since the time Atal Setu was conceived, built and opened for public it seems to be jinxed. This bridge costing crores of rupees was to be a star attraction in Goa and was built by M/s L & T Company and opened on February 5, 2019. In three years the bridge has developed potholes that have caused several accidents and hits and misses. The IIT (Madras) has been roped in to study the reason for formation of potholes and to suggest remedies. Recently the IIT scientists came and collected 40 core samples and have requested for some more samples. The IIT would take time to analyse the samples, interpret the data and come up with viable solutions. During the monsoon months new and bigger potholes may develop and existing ones will get water-logged. These are more hazardous to motorists and could result in untold misery. Considering these facts, the government should close the bridge till the repairs and mandatory tests are carried out and then re-inaugurate it (by spending a few lakh)! The closing of the bridge may temporarily inconvenience the people but precaution is better than cure.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Renewable energy need of the hour
Recent measures by the Centre to increase coal supply to coal based power plants located in various States for uninterrupted power production is the step in the right direction and a welcome step. To ensure this, few express trains and long distance mail were cancelled or diverted to expedite coal transport. It was good that supply of coal to States continued despite in the State capitals outstanding dues from their end. Expansion of metro lines in the State capitals and in tier II/III cities, and such infrastructural activities will lead in surge in power demand hence pace of renewable energy needs to be stepped up. Solar light on street roads of villages, bridges, flyovers in cities and towns will help to a great extent in reducing the demand of thermal power.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Hope for balanced monsoon
We are simply a few days away from the seasonal monsoon considered to be both – Blessing and Curse for various known reasons. Blessings: Amongst many things we are in need of rainfall for our farming and fostering of plants that get fully blossomed during monsoon. Come monsoon and we witness the distinctive atmospheric aura that surrounds us to give the feel-good factor and liberation from heat from the summer. Garden enthusiasts in particular get the much-needed respite from their routine work of watering plants since the care to provide water during monsoon is shifted to nature. Taking cognisance of the monsoon arrival, the concerned authorities should proactively work to fill up the potholes that otherwise remain neglected during summer to prevent any mishap or fatality. Our lackadaisical attitude to take timely corrective action results in the unnecessary loss of human life and then the blame game rests on monsoon calling it a curse. The concerned authorities should cut the big tree branches hovering over the houses or buildings to prevent any likely damage from happening. What we witnessed in the last monsoon was never seen at least in the last fifty years with some Goan villages getting totally submerged underwater thereby bringing life to a total standstill not to mention the trauma and agony that people faced during those arduous times. Let’s hope may this monsoon be a balanced and fulfilling one that we rightfully deserve.
Shaikh Imtiyaz Gaffar Karol, Margao
FAR increase may impact the environment
While the travel industry stakeholders have welcomed the government’s move to increase FAR (floor area ratio) for 4 and 5-star hotels from the existing 20% to 30% in both rural and urban areas, this might prove detrimental to Goa’s ecology. According to the government, this will curb illegal extensions and bring in more revenue, but the sad part is that the FAR enhancement has not been extended to lower category hotels which mostly employ local Goan youth from nearby areas. Smaller hotels were impacted more by COVID than the larger establishments and most have not been able to come out of the woods yet. Tourism today in Goa is sustained by the arrival of Indians from other States many of whom look for budget accommodation; in this context 3 and 2- star hotels not getting the benefit of increased FAR is injustice. The FAR at Kadamba Plateau, an ecologically fragile zone has also been increased from 300% to 400% for builders who have proper infrastructure in place. The TCP Ministry needs to first look at penalising and reining in developers who indulge in rampant hill cutting, land filling, degrading water bodies and erecting structures in no-development zones; they should have consulted with urban planners and master planning experts before going in for a blanket revision of FAR limits for this might have detrimental consequences for Goa’s landscape which is already under increased onslaught from the sarkar too.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
SC invoked its extraordinary powers
The Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary powers to set free AG Perarivalan, one of the life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The bench cited his prolonged incarceration for over 30 years to order his release. One may also recall that the apex court had commuted his death penalty to a life sentence for murder in 2014. While the Congress expressed anguish over the release of Perarivalan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin hailed the court’s ruling and said that his government would consult legal experts and take steps to release the other six life convicts associated with the case.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
