Govt moots school complex for Ponda on lines of Cujira

TEAM HERALD

bureau@herald-goa.com

PONDA: In a bid to ease traffic congestion in Ponda city, especially during peak hours, the State government is planning a school complex in Ponda similar to the one at Cujira in Tiswadi.

There are a few schools in the city and the GVM’s Almeida High School alone has about 5,000 students. Apart from traffic management near the schools, the safety of students along the roads is also a major concern for authorities.

“Keeping in mind the growing traffic in Ponda city and considering the issue of road safety, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured to set up a school complex along the lines of the one at Cujira in Tiswadi,” PWD and Transport Minister Sudin Dhavlikar told Herald.

“As a result, shifting of schools away from the city will definitely reduce traffic congestion. It will also reduce the risk to the students,” said Dhavlikar, on the sidelines of a programme to distribute saplings at Queula panchayat.

According to reports, the State government has plans to set up educational complexes in other major towns in the State and these complexes are likely to be taken up once the Cujira school complex becomes functional.

Dhavlikar also said that apart from shifting of schools, authorities are in process of preparing a traffic master plan for Ponda city.

“A consultant will soon be appointed to prepare a traffic master plan for Ponda city aimed at improving traffic movement in the city.”

 “The traffic master plan project is estimated to cost around Rs 100 crore and it will be executed through the GSIDC. In the first phase, Rs 25 crore will be given to the GSIDC from the Directorate of Transport,” informed Sudin  Dhavlikar.