MARGAO: The Office of the Collector and District Magistrate of South Goa has issued urgent orders to remove unauthorized commercial activities along the Margao-Colva Major District Road and the Colva-Sernabatim roundabout. This action comes in response to a complaint filed by the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum (CCCF), citing violations of a High Court (HC) order.
“We request that the Collector’s Office issue necessary directions to all concerned authorities to clear and take action to remove all violations and restore the sanctity of this public road,” said Judith Almeida, CCCF President, who detailed a range of alleged illegal activities plaguing the area in her complaint.
These include alleged unauthorized commercial operations, alleged improper parking by local garages, and alleged encroachments onto footpaths and setback areas along the major district road. Of particular concern is the stretch from Colva Church to the Colva-Sernabatim roundabout, which becomes lined with numerous food carts during evening hours, causing significant traffic congestion, according to Almeida.
Almeida also pointed out that late-evening bus parking in the area further exacerbates the traffic problems. The forum emphasized that these activities violate the HC judgment, details of which were also provided to the Collector’s office.
In response to these concerns, the Collector’s office took swift action. Deputy Collector Vinayak S Chari issued a comprehensive order addressing multiple local authorities. The Superintendent of Police (SP), South Goa, and the Traffic DySP have been instructed to remove all illegal and unauthorized food carts, hawkers, kiosks, and similar activities along the roadside in the Margao via Colva and Sernabatim area.
The order also involves other key stakeholders. The Chief Officer (CO) of Margao Municipal Council (MMC), the Medical Officer of the Margao Urban Health Centre (UHC), and the Colva Panchayat Secretary have all been directed to assist in this cleanup effort. Additionally, the Executive Engineer of the PWD Division VI (Roads) has been included in the directive, likely to address any infrastructural concerns that may arise during the removal process.
Notably, the Deputy Collector & SDM-I of Salcete, Margao, who is in charge of the Demolition Squad (South), has been instructed to provide all necessary assistance, including personnel and equipment, for the effective execution of these directives.
The Collector’s office has stressed that these measures should be implemented with immediate effect and maintained as continuous measures to prevent the recurring nature of these violations. This is aimed at ensuring long-term compliance with the court’s directions
