Goa’s road infrastructure has been on a forever journey of being upgraded for the last two decades if not more. All the national highways, state highways and major district roads, are perennially being worked upon. Either the service roads have not been done, the junctions are being redesigned or the least the medians are being widened or replaced.
However, across the State a common problem is the traffic signals at the junctions. In most cases, the traffic signals do not function and those that function, keep fluctuating and lead to chaos during the peak hours. Hence, traffic discipline has become a farfetched dream in Goa.
In addition, at major junctions such as near bus stands and industrial estates, pedestrians seldom follow the traffic signal. The two junctions at the Verna Industrial Estate are a classic example of this problem and the photograph depicts the chaos. A KTC bus proceeding from Margao to Panjim applied emergency brakes when a pedestrian busy fiddling with his mobile phone appeared in front of the bus. Despite the bus driver’s attempts, the pedestrian was knocked down. In this case, the pedestrian was lucky to have not been crushed under the wheels of the bus.
However, in the absence of traffic police at major junctions during the evening hours, pedestrians take advantage and without paying heed to the traffic signal cross roads, risking their lives as well as those of the motorists.
Authorities including panchayats and municipalities, must ensure that if traffic police are not assigned at the traffic signal, atleast traffic wardens are placed at such spots between 7 am and 10 pm to avoid fatal accidents.
