The Calangute Traffic Cell (CTC) was set up barely a year ago to apply brakes on traffic offences along the Calangute coast, but the CTC is itself slowing down after being overburdened with added jurisdiction and enhanced workload.
The CTC was launched on November 11, 2012, to cater exclusively to the busy Calangute and Candolim areas to take care of traffic problems along the two coastal villages. However, the jurisdiction of the CTC was significantly extended recently to accommodate the two constituencies of Porvorim and Saligao.
The CTC was sanctioned with an initial strength of 61 personnel, led by a police inspector. However, only 36 personnel have been deputed to the CTC, while the remaining 25 posts are yet to be filled.
To make matters worse, the extension of the CTC to Porvorim and Saligao constituencies has left the CTC to handle a vast jurisdiction, including Porvorim, Verem, Nerul, Sangolda, Saligao and surrounding villages, in addition to Calangute and Candolim.
Unable to handle the added workload, Calangute was in total chaos during the Diwali vacation and residents now fear that the situation could be worse during the Christmas season.
The mad rush of tourists during the Diwali vacation, resulting in traffic jams all along the Calangute coast, unnerved Calangute MLA Michael Lobo to such an extent that he decided to take up the matter with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
“The CTC was set up exclusively to control traffic in Calangute, Baga and Candolim, but it is now forced to monitor strategic points at Verem, Nerul, Saligao, Porvorim and other areas and that too, with only 35-40 personnel. This is ridiculous, as there is traffic chaos in Calangute, Baga and Candolim,” said Lobo.
“With great difficulty, we took the initiative to set up the exclusive CTC, but it is being misused for Porvorim and Saligao. I have taken up the matter with the chief minister, who has assured to look into the matter at the earliest,” said Calanguter Michael Lobo.
What has also angered the Calangute panchayat is that a Nano car donated to the CTC for the benefit of controlling traffic in Calangute village is now being operated in Porvorim and Verem.
“We had donated the Nano car to the CTC, specifically to address traffic woes of Calangute; however, with the CTC’s extended jurisdiction, the Nano car of the Calangute Panchayat is seen in Porvorim and Verem areas,” said Calangute Panch Joseph Sequeira.
“The Calangute panchayat maintains the car along with fuel supply (Rs 4000 every month). The very purpose is defeated as we witnessed serpentine queues of vehicles in Calangute during Diwali vacations,” he added.
“The CTC was exclusively set up for the Calangute Panchayat and we even provided free office and accommodation, besides water and power supply, but the end result is zero and Calangute village has suffered,” said Sequeira.
