PANJIM: Mega traffic blockades on the Panjim-Margao and Panjim-Vasco National Highway 66 are back to haunt vehicular traffic. On Saturday, motorists spent nearly two hours on the road due to traffic jams.
The traffic police and Agasaim Police together made efforts to streamline the traffic on either side of the Zuari Bridge.
The traffic jams at Bambolim, Agasaim, Cortalim and upto Sancoale stretch of road were so heavy that the queues of vehicles extended till Sharayu showroom at Verna and till Fulancho Khuris at Bambolim toward the north end. When tried to check the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) for Margao, Google Maps showed 92 minutes for arrival and the delay only kept increasing. The blockade had an adverse impact on the people travelling to Margao, Panjim and Vasco in public transport as the buses were stuck in traffic on all the routes to and fro. Long queues of passengers were witnessed at the KTC bus stands at Panjim, Margao and Vasco. Stranded passengers complained that there were no buses available for them to travel to reach to their destinations.
Entire available staff of the Agasaim Police Station and the Vasco Traffic Cell were on the road attempting to ease out the mega traffic blockade. When contacted, Agasaim PI Vikram Naik said, “Because of the football match and weekend there are lot of vehicles on the road. We have put our entire available staff to ease out the traffic jams.”
Former Margao chairperson Savio Coutinho, who was stuck in the traffic jam, said, “I am stuck at Cortalim for almost one-and-half-hour. I have only travelled for a kilometre for this long.”
Sahil Naik from Margao who was returning home, said, “This is a common scenario during November and December. The wait for the opening of the new Zuari Bridge is unending”.
The traffic jams on the most important route connecting North to South Goa have been a regular affair during the tourist and festive seasons and year ending. As the deadline for inaugurating the four-lane of Zuari Bridge nears, traffic management has gone from bad to worse.
COMMUTING WOES
The traffic jams at Bambolim, Agasaim, Cortalim and upto Sancoale stretch were heavy that the queues of vehicles extended till Sharayu showroom at Verna and till Fulancho Khuris at Bambolim toward the north end
Google Maps showed 92 minutes as ETA for Margao and the delay kept increasing
The blockade had an adverse impact on people travelling to Margao, Panjim and Vasco in public transport
The buses were stuck in traffic on all the routes to and fro.
Long queues witnessed at KTC bus stands at Panjim, Margao and Vasco
Stranded passengers complained that there were no buses available
