The residents of Ribandar-Patto are angry and frustrated with the ongoing road construction under the Smart City project, which they claim has caused more harm than good. Locals have raised concerns about the poor quality of work, accusing authorities of mismanagement and negligence.
The roads in the area have been severely damaged, making daily commutes difficult and dangerous for residents. According to the protestors, the work was carried out by labourers with little knowledge, and there were no professionals present to oversee the construction. They claim that the local MLA has shown little concern for their plight.
One of the main grievances is that the drainage system, which dates back to the Portuguese era, has been blocked due to the construction work. This has led to further issues, including waterlogging and the risk of flooding during heavy rains.
The residents, who staged a protest, have warned the authorities that they will block the roads if the necessary repairs are not completed by September 30. They have expressed deep frustration, stating that if the situation in the capital city of Panjim is so poor, it raises concerns about the condition of other parts of Goa.
Interestingly, recently the government shunted out Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) chief executive officer (CEO) and Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues to Ladakh and filed FIR against former CEO Swayandipta Pal Chaudhuri by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for illegal expenditure of Rs 82.87 lakh.
But the protests by Ribandar residents show that these are just knee-jerk reactions. Shunting out one official is not going to help the cause as the rot has spread deep inside the system. Politicians are the policy makers. How is that they get away scot free?
The Chief Minister is holding charge of the Public Works Department (PWD), which is responsible for civic works like drainage and road construction. The Panjim MLA has remained a mute spectator while his son, who is the Mayor of Panjim, has just passed the buck.
This shows that the Goans have to brace for a long-drawn-out battle against poor roads. If we look around, the problem of bad roads is not just limited to Panjim and the Smart City project. All the arterial roads passing through the State’s villages are in shambles. So, the entire Goa should take a cue from the residents of Ribandar and take to the streets against government apathy and abject corruption.
The Goa government recently issued show-cause notices to more than 100 contractors with much fanfare and said government engineers would be held responsible for any accident due to potholes on roads in the coastal state. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who holds the (PWD) portfolio, announced that roads in the state would be pothole-free by the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The festival is over, but nothing tangible has happened on the ground.
Unfortunately, there is no accountability. Our politicians love playing to the gallery by making grand announcements, like the one made by the CM against PWD engineers. But on ground, there is no change in the situation because corruption reigns. Nothing will change unless there is a massive public protest against government apathy.
The dangerous road conditions and the sharp rise in road accidents have been shattering lives in Goa for the last many years. Every year crores of rupees from the public exchequer are spent on so-called road construction and maintenance, but the entire money goes down the drain as the roads get damaged with the first spell of monsoon.
With an insensitive and arrogant political governance in place, it is time for Goans to stand up and fight back. When appeals don’t work, agitation remains the only option to move the establishment. Since the government does not care about its people, the public has to shake it up.