Team Herald
MARGAO: For the past three days, residents of the Gogol Housing Board in Margao are experiencing disruptions in their tap water supply. This issue, along with traffic congestion has stemmed from road excavations for sewerage pipelines and piped natural gas installations, which have also caused frequent electricity disruptions.
Since Monday there has been no water supply each morning and restored only late at night, leading to an acute water shortage in parts of the housing board. Residents complain of receiving water supply only in trickles after midnight when most are asleep.
It is pertinent to note that water supply was cut off again in the morning and remained off till 8 pm. While no water tankers were provided, locals blamed the ongoing road work for the suspended water supply.
Milind Raiker, a resident said, “The pipeline installation has caused significant dust pollution, traffic congestion, and frequent power and water disruptions.”
Confirming lack of water supply for the past three days, Ashok Naik, another resident, said, “The disruptions in the morning have caused immense hardship. The continuous digging and excavation have led to increased civic issues and that residents are being deprived of basic amenities. Residents find it difficult to leave their houses due to the road work.”
Naik said, “In some areas where road digging is complete, the dug-up trenches have not been restored. Instead, workers are digging further into Gogol and the Housing Board, leaving previously dug trenches uncovered. This makes the roads increasingly risky and narrow.”
He said, “Some roads have been cut in the middle and filled with mud instead of being properly covered with cement, leading to deteriorated road conditions.”
Residents have urged the authorities to carry out road digging in phases, ensuring that roads are restored incrementally wherever excavation occurs.
They have suggested widening the roads to mitigate traffic congestion caused by the reduced road width due to continuous digging.
When questioned, a supervisor at the road digging site stated that the PWD has been informed about the need to repair the roads.