CALANGUTE: The village roads of Calangute are still being dug and remain open with no sign of restoring them to their original state, due to the sewerage network works. The works on the roads are also not being supervised by the JICA or PWD officials causing lot of hardships to the motorists pedestrians and others. The dug up roads which are being filled up hurriedly would also be a threat to motorists and buses plying on the roads. The tourists visiting Calangute during the monsoon are likely to experience hardship due to the bad roads.
The JICA team was supposed to complete the digging works before the end of May and repair the damaged road with proper asphalting and tarring for better motorable roads. The main road from Calangute to Candolim is still open and the works are being carried out without the presence of JICA officials or others. The workers are carrying out the works as per their convenience and have even re-filled the dug roads without proper curing, etc. The dug up portion of roads would be exposed during the monsoon posing a threat to motorists and even buses plying on the Panjim-Calangute, Mapusa-Calangute routes. The village panchayat of Calangute had even filed an FIR with the Calangute Police demanding arrest of the JICA engineer for the negligence and delay in works.
Speaking to Herald Joseph Sequeira said, “The JICA team undertaking the works had promised us in writing that the works on the Holiday Street road would be completed by May 12, but till today, the road is not repaired nor tarred. The entire road is full of mud and not open fully to vehicular traffic. The hoteliers have suffered huge losses due to the ongoing works with hotels occupancy very low. We have been constantly asking the Executive Engineer of JICA, SP Jadhav, to complete the roads before the onset of monsoon but to no avail. The PWD officials including Wachasunder is also least bothered about the hardships caused to the people of Calangute and others.”
“The village panchayat had suggested sewerage network works way back in 1998 which were taken up by the Congress govt while the BJP govt came out with the works order. The Panchayat had supported the BJP for 3 major projects to be undertaken in Calangute – sewerage works, garbage treatment plant and market complex. Though we are happy that the sewerage works are progressing, the haphazard works by JICA is a disturbing sign for Calangute. There could be grounding of buses and vehicles during monsoon causing lot of inconvenience to locals as well as tourists visiting Calangute. The MLA of Calangute has also failed to oversee the systematic development and planning of sewerage works by JICA. We cannot stop the JICA team from carrying out unplanned works in fear of FIRs being filed against us. We hope the work stops immediately and the roads are repaired before the onset of monsoon,” concluded Sequeira.
