Team Herald
PANJIM: Haphazard road works and unplanned closures in the capital city have severely impacted residents, businesses, and commuters. Several small businesses, once thriving, have been forced to shut down due to the ongoing infrastructure work under the Smart City Mission.
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Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) has closed multiple key road stretches for Central Panjim (Phase 3) development. From February 9 to 28, six crucial roads, including 18th June Road, General Bernardo Guedes Road, and Bhatlem Road, have been shut for vehicular movement, causing major traffic disruptions.
Many business owners, speaking anonymously, have voiced their frustration. “The business community in Panjim has been in distress ever since these works began. Many shops, particularly in St Inez, have shut down. But not many are speaking openly about their struggles,” said a businessman near Café Real.
Commuters have also been left frustrated, constantly encountering dead ends and struggling to find open roads. The worst jams occur during lunch hours and office closing times. While police personnel have been stationed at intersections to regulate traffic, the absence of proper signboards has made matters worse.
Tourists unfamiliar with the road closures often drive into no-entry zones, leading to confusion and arguments. The lack of clear notifications has exacerbated the situation.
Taking a dig at the ongoing work, activist Rama Kankonkar remarked, “Every road in Panjim has been dug and re-dug. Maybe they’re searching for hidden gold beneath the roads”. He also pointed out the financial strain on business owners, stating, “Some shops in Panjim pay rents as high as Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 and have been forced to remain shut for months. How will they survive?”
Kankonkar also questioned the silence of Panjim’s residents. “Why are people not speaking up about their suffering? Will you raise your voice only when everything is lost,”? he asked.
Activist Cecile Rodrigues criticised the poor implementation of road closures, saying, “There are no proper notifications. A closed road doesn’t have a barricade at the entrance, so people enter, only to find out they have to reverse and take another route—only to find that road closed too”
Rodrigues blamed both the contractor and traffic police for failing to provide proper guidance to struggling motorists.
Meanwhile, IPSCDL Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues has assured that ‘all road works will be completed by March 31’.
