Team Herald
MAPUSA: Citizens across Bardez demand that the Public Works Department (PWD) put up signboards at key junctions asking motorists to be careful while driving due to presence of potholes along that stretch. At the same time they stressed on the need to have reduction of speed limit along those areas which are pothole-ridden. They opine that this careless act of endangering human life not acceptable.
This move comes after several people met with accidents due to potholes across the taluka and especially along the National Highway 17 stretch which has turned into a death trap. The number of pot holes across the taluka is increasing with every passing day as no one is being made accountable.
Leroy Fernandes, a regular commuter along the deadly stretch between Guirim and Bastora, said that there is a need to inform motorists of potholes ahead as due to heavy rains the roads are turning out to be dangerous.
“The speed limits along this highway stretch say 50 km/hr, but are these limits set keeping in mind the potholes. People who are travelling on this stretch for the first time are bound to meet with accident as they may try to avoid the potholes and end up being knocked down. Due to heavy rains, water is also accumulating in the potholes making it difficult for the motorist to identity them as potholes. Hence, a great risk to human life. I feel the phone number of the contractors should be displayed so that the citizens can call the contractors and ask them to fix that particular damaged stretch of road,” he said.
Carlos Ferreira, a former advocate general, said that many people crash along the highway as the path is not clear and the potholes make matters worse.
“Unfortunately, no criminal action is being taken against the authorities concerned for their negligence. The concerned contractor and officials monitoring are responsible and they should be booked and prosecuted for endangering the lives of the public. They cannot wake up only when tragedy strikes,” Ferreira said.
One Wilson Fernandes told Herald that on Sunday evening his relatives met with an accident by falling into a deep pothole near Green Park at Guirim. “It was raining and they did not realise there was a pothole under the water. They had to be rushed to the hospital at night. Luckily, they did not suffer serious injuries. Many people might be getting injured everyday due to these potholes. The government may not be able to repair the roads during the heavy rains but they have to at least put a warning where ever there are potholes,” he said.
