PANJIM: Revenue Minister Atanasio `Babush’ Monserrate on Monday blamed the Public Works Department (PWD) for ongoing digging of roads and the Panjim traffic police for failing to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
After inspecting flood prone areas of Mala, Panjim, Monserrate said that care should be taken to avoid recurring of flooding there during monsoon. He said, “I feel that PWD should have seen that the digging works are completed before the onset of monsoon. PWD gives permission for cutting of roads and they should have completed these works much earlier. In am not blaming anybody but they (PWD) should know what is their responsibility.”
Pointing to the construction of two Smart Roads in the city by the Imagine Panjim Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL), Monserrate said, “Roads should not be smart and people should not be left behind. Most important is the flooding at Mala during monsoon and it should be taken care of. Instead of one department blaming the other, I want better coordination between the concerned departments.”
A road from the Old Patto bridge up to Four Pillars Junction via Mala will be built as Smart Road and the construction work is currently on to lay new utility services.
Referring to the traffic congestion in the capital city, Monserrate said that traffic police have been deployed and that he has been regularly discussing with the Panjim Traffic PI to streamline the traffic. At the same time, he said that he often see four-five traffic policemen more busy in issuing challans than regulating traffic and nothing more than that.”
“They (traffic constables) are more busy in stopping tourists and fining them for traffic violations. They are not bothered to solve traffic problems plaguing the city,” he said.
Meanwhile, when contacted, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral said that he was unaware of the problems at Mala and assured to look into the issue of digging of roads there.
