Demand to ease traffic at Aquem Power House junction goes in circles

Karsten Miranda

karsten@herald-goa.com

For the last two months the residents of Aquem and Davorlim have raised concerns about the risk to personal safety and life the Aquem Power House Junction poses to the general public.

Their main demand has been that a holistic plan be created to ease the traffic congestion and precautionary measures be set up to ensure there is better traffic management in this area.

On that point, they had petitioned the district collector that a series of measures be initiated. The collector was petitioned to order the construction of two rumbler speed breakers on either side of the road on the left hand side of the road proceeding to Davorlim from Margao at the Aquem Power House Junction. This was after the PWD engineer had told the petitioners to send an official written proposal through the proper channel asking for the requisite speed breakers.

In this connection, the Additional District Magistrate South Goa has now written to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Assistant Director of Transport South Goa and Davorlim Sarpanch. The collector attached the copy of the petition submitted by Anand S Sawant and others and directed them to submit a report or resolution in the matter along with a sketch for taking necessary action under the Motor Vehicle Rules. 

It may be recalled that recently the locals forced traffic police and other government authorities to inspect the area complaining about how the presence of carts and other obstructions on the road have caused a lot of traffic congestion at this junction that connects Margao to other parts of Salcete. The police also cleared the illegally parked vehicles at the junction and also a hand cart which was a hindrance to traffic.

Another major problem they have brought to the notice of the collector is that the bypass road going towards the Aquem side of the railway station has been populated with illegally parked vehicles and occupied by big trucks and trailers all the time making it highly dangerous to road traffic. Even after the District Collector having already passed an order of prohibition of parking on this road the violation is rampant.

The inherently flawed traffic circle arrangement near Power House Junction, however, handles a large number of huge trucks and heavy carriage vehicles and trolley trucks carrying raw materials or the finished products for the business establishments of Margao daily.

Locals who live nearby have been complaining about the dangers faced by the commuters passing through this junction everyday and how minor accidents are a regular occurrence at this junction. They give the example of how the road leading to Davorlim from the junction is of great concern to them but whenever they have raised their demands for a speed breaker, the departments concerned have been passing the buck.

Local resident Anand Sawant, who has been voicing the problems faced by the locals due to the improper planning of the powerhouse junction, informed Herald that they have been asking for installation of a speed breaker on the junction for a long time now.

 “The locals have been demanding proper planning of the Junction from the year of 2007. The demand of keeping a traffic police was declined as the Traffic Cell is understaffed. If some resident is injured due to the mess at the junction the villagers will go on the streets and barge into the offices of the concerned officers,” warned Anand Sawant.

The Police Inspector of Traffic Cell of Margao, Mohan Gawade, informed Herald that way back in July the Police had written to the PWD to get the Junction properly planned and roads enhanced for smooth traffic flow. The traffic police had also proposed for rumble strips on all the opening roads on the junction.