PANJIM: The ongoing Smart City work resulted in a nightmarish traffic situation on the Kadamba bypass as the colossal queue of vehicles caused extensive delays and tested the patience of motorists who were left boiling with anger after being caught in the gridlock.
The chaos ensued following the complete closure of the road from Divja Circle, Panjim, the Ribandar Causeway right up to Basilica of Bom Jesus junction, Old Goa.
The traffic jam has been a daily feature since the closure, which was initiated to facilitate the ambitious Smart City project that commenced on March 10 and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2024.
Commuters attempting to navigate the NH 748 (Kadamba bypass) now face a formidable challenge as the diverted traffic, rerouted due to the closed section, chokes the bypass.
“When the flyover work at the Chimbel junction has not been completed, suddenly they have closed the Ribandar-Patto to put additional stress on the Kadamba bypass. There is no proper arrangement by the traffic police. Has the Smart City contractor lost it? You all will get commissions but people are suffering badly. In case of emergency, how will the ambulance proceed? Till the bridge is completed, the Ribandar Causeway should not have been closed,” Saish Mhambre, an irate commuter told O Heraldo.
“We have a serious problem going to work. It’s a nightmare on the Kadamba bypass during office hours. We are forced to use two-wheelers. The traffic jam strangulates us between 9 am and 10.30 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. There is a huge waste of fuel when we are caught in the jam on a daily basis,” Gracy Rodrigues, a commuter stated.
“School children are most affected since their buses are caught in the jam. All the students of Hedgewar, Peoples High School, etc, are affected due to closure of the Ribandar Causeway and diversion of traffic on the Kadamba bypass. They could have easily limited the digging to one side of the road and allowed mini buses to pass to pick up the children from Ribandar. This is only the beginning, wait till Ganesh Chaturthi and the St Francis Xavier Exposition. It will be a nightmare,” Prasad Vengurlekar, another commuter said.
“There is congestion due to the flyover construction and because the traffic has been diverted from the Ribandar Causeway. Many people have died here, therefore the construction of the flyover is a must. I had raised this issue in the Goa Assembly and both the Chief Minister and then PWD Minister had assured me to start the work as soon as possible. But it was delayed due to bar code (scheduled for timely completion of work). People have to exercise a little patience,” Rodolfo Fernandes, MLA St Cruz said.
When asked why was the Ribandar Causeway was closed when the flyover work was going on, causing excruciating traffic congestion, Rodolfo said that decision was pertaining to Panjim Constituency and not his decision.
Meanwhile the Smart City project authority (IPSCDL claims that contractors overseeing the ongoing works have been asked to comply with stringent safety precautions. This includes the installation of adequate barricades, prominent signages, and sufficient lighting at all work sites to ensure the well-being of both workers and commuters affected by the temporary road closure.
