Asmita Polji
asmita@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: The installation of traffic signals at junctions have become a mandatory aspect of our crowded life and leads to smooth movement of vehicles.
However, the traffic scene in Mapusa city is often in chaotic condition due to the absence of signals at important junctions.
One wonders why the process of installing signals in Mapusa city has been delayed by the Mapusa Municipal council time and again, even after receiving several applications from Mapusa Traffic police officials.
The absence of traffic signals adds to rising traffic congestion in Mapusa, coupled with parking problems and bad roads.
There are four major junctions in Mapusa which are responsible for congestion during peak hours of the day, which require traffic signal for smooth movement of traffic. The four major junctions are Gandhi Chowk, junction, Aldona bus stop and Mapusa court junction. Until now the municipality has managed to install traffic signals at Court junction and Gandhi Chawk.
Sources claimed that the signal installed at Gandhi Chawk is never functional and the other at Court junction too does not function properly. The traffic police on duty find it difficult to handle such a large volume and the situation turns chaotic and goes out of hand during the peak hours of the day.
Congestion also rises during the peak hours of the day when vehicles from different parts of north Goa enter the city and also due to the lack of communication between the traffic police deployed at different junctions.
Talking to Herald a college student Rohan Naik said like signals at the junctions of O Coqueiro and Teen Building Mapusa City too required such signals and added that traffic signals at different junctions is needed to solve traffic congestion issue in Mapusa city.
“We have written several letters to Mapusa Municipal Council informing about requirement of traffic signals at different junctions but we haven’t received any response from MMC yet,” Mapusa Traffic PI Tushar Vernekar said.
In response the Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council Rohan Kavlekar said the process of installing signals at different junctions is under process and the signals will be installed once the beautification work of these junctions is completed.
