TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: Locals, parents and students studying in St Joseph’s High School, Calangute, have been facing hardships due to bad condition of the road leading to the school at Tivai Vaddo, Calangute.
The entire stretch of road, which was dug to lay a pipeline for sewerage network, has not yet been restored to its original state. The road is damaged to the maximum and water logging forces the students to walk in dirty and stagnant water.
Parents have been irritated with the development, while the locals have criticized the authorities for leaving the road unattended. Calangute Panchayat blamed the contractor of sewerage works for not repairing the road, while Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has assured to get it done at the earliest.
Speaking to Herald, Rajan Naik said the road is in very bad state due to the sewerage works and there is water logging everywhere.
“When it rains, the road is flooded and it becomes difficult for the students to proceed to the school and also the locals. Vehicles are parked on the road where there is no water logging. Children, parents and locals have been taken for granted by the government contractors,” said Naik.
Damine Simoes, a local, said his family members are not able to move in and out of the house due to water logging all along the damaged road.
When contacted, Calangute Panch Joseph Sequeira said the contractor was strictly warned to carry out the required digging on the road and restore it back to its original state before the monsoon. “The contractor failed to carry out repair works of the road despite assurance to do so. The panchayat is not responsible for the sorry state of the road, but the sewerage works contractor, who should have carried out the works,” he added.
Calangute MLA Lobo said the road was damaged due to ongoing sewerage works and unfortunately not repaired by the contractor.
“Earlier, there were no potholes on any road in Calangute, but the sewerage works led to potholes and damaged roads. We will get all the roads including the road next to the school done, as it has been approved for hot mixing from St Anthony”s Chapel to Calangute Association,” he said.
