The conditions of roads have severely deteriorated and the shoddy mud patch work has sunk due to the ongoing monsoons. Recent work to place electric cables on the side of the road where cement was used to cover the dug up portion has been exposed and cables are jutting out creating a hazard for commuters. A month ago, the electricity department, PWD and contractors for JICA had been pulled up and asked to cover the exposed portion given how the potholes are filled with water when it rains and it is difficult to see them. The bad roads also cause damage to vehicles.
The cables sticking out however, have raised concerns with locals as they fear this could cause serious damage to the power supply in the area. Commuters passing by Grace Church, Margao and around the municipal garden have been facing a nightmare as large portions of the road have given way right from Ana Fonte Garden, to the Comunidade building. While the MMC has resorted to temporary make-shift arrangements till the monsoon period ends, citizens have criticised the callous nature of the authorities for failing to solve the issues on time.
This pothole has been neglected for two years
The road along the Margao Cricket Club beside the Azad Nagri shanties has a huge pothole that’s over 2-years old and even worse, it’s filled with debris, polythene and garbage. It creates a dangerous driving experience as people are trying to manoeuvre around the pothole. Our citizen journalist, Sanjay Sawant Dessai got us a picture of the dangerous pothole that the PWD and Margao Municipality has totally forgotten about. In July, Margao recently faced a major water shortage when the pipe from Selaulim burst on the Eastern Bypass near the Pepsi Bottling Junction, Arlem. The highway was shut and the work was carried out on a war footing. Locals in the vicinity are irked by the fact that the huge depression in the road where it was excavated has not been levelled or patched up. There have been incidents of sudden braking and motorbikes involved in a pile up but the municipality doesn’t seem to bother.
