CANACONA: The Manohar Parrikar sea-side link inaugurated just over a year ago has developed so many depressions along its 7.4-km length that the commuters are alleging poor workmanship while constructing the all-important link on the National Highway 66 in Canacona.
“In spite of this stretch having four lanes, the vehicles cannot be driven even close to the prescribed speed limit of 80 kms per hour as these uneven stretches cause the drivers to temporarily lose control over their vehicles and are both dangerous to the commuters as well as the vehicles,” complain the locals from here.
Most of this 7.4-km stretch from Char Rasta to Mashem passes through the marshy and farm land and is raised with soil while other portions running over Talpona and Galgibaga-Mashem rivers have bridges over them.
It’s however, difficult for the common man to ascertain why this newly built link road spending around Rs 300 crore has sunk at many places. However, many locals allege that the standard procedures were bypassed by the contractor and the PWD authorities while constructing this road, which is a blessing for not only the residents of Canacona but for other commuters as well as it reduces the travel distance and time considerably.
While this road is sunk at many places, however, most notable spots are near Molyma Hotel and near the exit of Ponsulem.
Even though the work for the construction of this road started in 2015, the soil that was used to raise the height of the road didn’t settle down as it was not compacted properly, says Anil Bhagat, who lives a little away from this road.
“This loose soil is now getting compacted with both vibrations and movement of the heavy vehicles which is the main cause for depression at some places of the road,” Bhagat reasoned out. Sources in National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) when asked about the poor condition of this road said that the contractor is responsible for five years to upkeep the road and any defects that arise during this period has to be rectified by him at no extra cost.
