THOMAS FERNANDES
CALANGUTE
The laying of underground sewerage pipeline by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) though essential is playing havoc with the daily lives of locals and tourists holidaying during the peak tourism season. The roads which are being dug up in the entire village of Calangute, have even resulted in one fatality, when a daily wage labourer lost his life.
The bumpy roads have even led to accidents resulting in injuries. As is routinely witnessed the village roads were freshly hot-mixed only to be dug up later to lay underground pipes. The roads were then repaired and tarred but the contractor has done a shoddy job with several uneven places all along the road, posing a threat to life and vehicles.
The road leading to St Alex Church from Dr Jack de Sequeira statue has 19 similar depressions or uneven areas due to chambers laid in the middle of the road. The road from St Alex Church to St Anthony’s Chapel has 22 similar depressions posing danger to pedestrians and two wheeler riders. Many a times tourists have unknowingly fallen off their bikes after their two wheelers suddenly landed in such uneven places. Locals too find it difficult to negotiate the ‘potholed’ road especially at night. For international tourists it is a cultural shock to ride over such dangerous roads especially along the roads beginning from the Church junction and Baga bridge road. A few riders have injured themselves while riding on these dangerously uneven roads.
JICA had assured to repair the roads and fill the depressions but till date the state of roads remains the same. There is every possibility that the locals and tourists will have to negotiate the uneven roads during the monsoon which could be even more treacherous due to water filling up these depressions and throwing riders off guard, leading to more accidents and injury.
Abhijit Kale a tourist says, “It looks like the works are being carried out without proper plans as we find roads either dug up or full of potholes in Calangute. The concerned authorities should have taken precautions and care so as not to allow such pot holes on roads. We tourists don’t come to fall and injure ourselves by falling in potholes. Nobody will come to Calangute if there are potholes which can even take a life.”
Michael Lobo, MLA of Calangute said, “The JICA team has completed almost 70% of the underground pipeline work and the remaining 30% would be completed in another three to four months. However, I have been insisting with the JICA team to carry out the required works on road and restore them to normal shape so as to avoid any uneven roads which could pose a threat to life and vehicles. I have been demanding from the JICA team leave the roads pothole free after completing the underground pipeline laying works from time to time. The JICA team should take utmost care not to leave any potholes or uneven roads which could lead to accidents, etc. However, we seek the co-operation and support of the people in completion of the sewerage network project in Calangute.”
