PANJIM: The entire capital city of Goa turns into a major death trap by night. Panjim is swamped by outside Goa registered vehicles, rent-a-cars and even Goa registered vehicles used by tourists which zoom through ‘no entry’ or ‘one way roads’, often at break neck speed. Any vehicle user who follows traffic signs and knows the ‘no entry’ roads, is in danger of meeting with serious accident. It is absolutely shocking, to see that even as ironically there is intense traffic at night, there is no traffic police, to punish the law breakers.
By night, tourist brazenly drive from the ‘no entry’ of the Atmaram Borkar road, the Mahatma Gandhi road and the 18th June Road, since all these are one way roads. They also zoom through the intersection of these roads, creating a potentiality for accidents.
When tourist vehicles are stopped by locals at night and told that “this is a no entry- one way road” they state that it is ‘night way’. What they mean is in other states vehicles can move on ‘no entry- one way roads’ at night. Goa Traffic Police need to educate tourists that this is not the case in Goa.
The most dangerous death trap of all these streets is the Mahatma Gandhi road. The road is packed with two wheelers of those who work on the casinos and four wheelers (mostly non Goa registered vehicles) on both sides narrowing the width of the road. The most dreadful spot on the Mahatma Gandhi road, is the stretch from Abbe de Faria statue which comes behind the Old Secretariat from the vicinity of Joshi Wines to the old Directorate of Accounts building. The accident prone spot has vehicles parked even till the sharp turn unsighting the driver of the traffic which zooms through the no entry stretch. And even as there is flagrant violation of traffic rules not a single traffic cop is seen at the dangerous spot.
On Wednesday, it was surprising and providential that two cops on a bike were seen at the spot on the sharp turn behind the secretariat at around midnight. They managed to catch one scooterist who was coming through the no entry. Immediately, thereafter three scooters came through the no entry stretch behind the old Secretariat. All scooterists were not wearing helmets and one scooter had two pillion riders. By the time the traffic cop blew the whistle the three scooterists turned around and escaped.
The stretch from old Directorate of Accounts, Panjim Residency, old Civil Court, Head Post Office to Old Patto bridge is also absolutely dangerous. The one way road is partly dug at two places in front of the old Civil Court with two and four vehicles parked on both sides. Tourists and locals zoom through this ‘no entry’ zone due to the night clubs which are near the Old Patto bridge and heavily patronised at night by party goers.
The absolute chaos that prevails at the Old Patto bridge junction near the night clubs, is to be seen to be believed. Club goers indulge in double parking and block the road, making it extremely difficult for motorists to negotiate the dangerous turn at which they park.
When contacted about the frequent violation of traffic rules at night and possibility of accidents, Police Inspector (Traffic) Chetan Saulekar said, “Traffic police have been deputed for night patrolling. But if you say there are many violations, I will instruct my teams to intensify patrolling.”
If Goa is to be promoted as a tourist paradise with night life, the tourist department, the Goa Police and the Traffic police in particular, have to coordinate and get their act together and control the increasing lawlessness and chaos which prevails in Panjim at night. It is also very important to protect the lives and ensure the safety of those who abide by the law.
It may be recalled that sometimes those who clubbing lose their sanity and there may be a security threat. The incident of a swordfight on the road outside a club, near the old Patto bridge, is a stark reminder that police presence is needed at night to ensure the safety of citizens, especially at night. This alone can ensure responsible tourism and a safety of law abiding citizens in the capital city of Goa.
