TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM/CALANGUTE/CANACONA: The sky erupted with spectacular fireworks across the State and spirited crowds of revellers from Goa, tourists and celebrities shouted the final countdown to the dawn of 2013, as Goa welcomed the New Year on a nippy tropical night.
Braving severe traffic jams during the day, revellers erupted with joy and friends, family and strangers hugged each at the stroke of midnight, hoping for an auspicious year ahead, after a rocky 2012.
The big jigs kicked off the celebrations as Goa’s top bands dished pulsating hits at Parra, Panjim, Taleigao, Verna and Margao.
The starred hotels and resorts from Morjim to Palolem hosted New Year’s Eve dances, while DJs belted hits to pump up the jam at hotels and clubs. Some local tourists preferred to camp on the sandy shores in group chatter.
Such was the surge in traffic leading to various destinations that the State’s fragile road network was clogged since Monday evening, as traffic policemen had a harrowing time in regulating the various traffic jams. Thousands of vehicles from others States also added to the traffic chaos and many confused inter-state motorists were trying to negotiate their way along the unfamiliar roads.
The major routes leading to prominent destinations, including Arambol, Calangute, Baga, Colva and Palolem, were blocked with hundreds of vehicles.
At Palolem and Agonda, cars were parked at every available space as tourists decided to spend the last few hours of the old year on the beach.
Canacona Police had to step in with elaborative arrangements to regulate traffic, especially at Palolem coast, right from Sunday and managed to convert vacant fields at Palolem entrance as free parking lots for many outstation vehicles.
Police reportedly advised residents of Palolem and surrounding areas to avoid using their four-wheelers on Monday evening and also issued passes to identify the vehicles of local residents.
Security manning the various ATMs in the taluka also had a tough time controlling the growing queues of people eager to withdraw money for the revelries.
Special traffic arrangements were made along the Calangute-Baga stretch of narrow roads to cope with thousands of tourist vehicles thronging there for the New Year celebrations. Similar arrangements were made at Colva by the traffic police.
Calangute Traffic Cell personnel were frantically diverting traffic all along the major roads, but it did little to ease the traffic or avoid traffic jams along the roads.
Traffic came to a virtual halt along the major roads of Calangute and surrounding areas. Private buses plying to and from Mapusa refused to enter Calangute or Candolim, forcing passengers to alight at the “Bodkea Vhodd” junction, causing much inconvenience to passengers from Calangute and Candolim.
With limited parking space in the area, tourist vehicles were seen parking outside the gates of residential houses, making it frustrating for residents to move out of their homes.
A policeman struggling to regulate traffic said, “What can we do? However best you manage the traffic, such jams are unavoidable during this time of the year and the people curse us”.
Traffic jams were also witnessed along the Margao-Colva route despite elaborate traffic arrangements along the coastal belt.
Goa police deployed a strong force, including the Central Industrial Security Force, to avoid untoward incidents, especially along the North and South Goa beaches, places of worship and resorts.
This year, a few cameras were deployed at popular beaches to monitor crowds on an experimental basis. The authorities, however, did not issue any security advisories.
