Team Herald
PANJIM: The safety of citizens of Panjim continues to be in peril as the authorities have not learnt their lessons from the recent two incidents wherein loaded heavy vehicles fell into pits dug for sewerage line work.
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The contractors executing works under Smart City Mission have failed to put in place the safety measures and precautions at the sites in the capital city.
The road opposite the Income Tax Department in Panjim has become dangerous as the water supply pipeline has been damaged on Sunday by an excavator while digging a pit for work related to the sewerage line and vehicles are passing by close to the particular excavated pit which is filled with water.
While labourers work in the pit, traffic including heavy vehicles pass by. With the continuous pressure on the road, there is every possibility, the mud beneath may slide and partially cave in, which could lead to an accident.
The MG Road stretch from Azad Maidan up to Geeta Bakery junction is also prone to accidents as the vehicles plying on the route have to squeeze in between several excavated pits and parked cars.
The stretches from Goa International junction to Sewerage Treatment Plant of the PWD at Tonca and from Caculo Mall to Madhuban circle junction are most vulnerable, as despite accidents occurring, vehicles continue to ply on these two roads where Smart City works are underway.
Most of the excavated pits are cordoned off by using tapes and tin sheets which give no protection and it exposes the accident proneness at the sites of Smart City works. No concrete steps have been taken for the safety of human life. It appears that the authorities are waiting for a major disaster to happen.
GSUDA Chief Project Officer Vijaykumar Honawad, who also holds the charge as the Chief General Manager of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited, said that his office has written to agencies and the contractors executing the works to take required measure to prevent accidents at site and went on to claim that even traffic marshals are deployed to manage the traffic.
However, the reality on the ground is totally different. The contractors have continued to flout the safety norms and there are no traffic marshals deployed on any road stretch by the contractors.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has distanced itself claiming that ensuring safety at the Smart City work sites are the responsibility of Smart City officials and the proponents of the projects.
