The weekly Friday market in Mapusa witnessed an overwhelming increase in traffic, due to the dire shortage of parking space for visitors. With the festive season of Christmas looming closer, the already challenging parking situation escalated further, causing an inconvenience for attendees. This recurring issue is also prevalent during festive seasons like Ganesh and Diwali. “There are a number of extra stalls here in view of Christmas, because of the Friday market at Mapusa, the crowd has increased, and there’s no parking even for two-wheelers. I think Mapusa is the worst when it comes to traffic management as the municipality nor the MLA pay attention,” said Sachin Kinlekar a Mapusa local.
In fact, the traffic woes are just not exclusive to Christmas festivities, locals face the same issue during Ganesh and Diwali as well. “This happens every year, the authorities do not prepare ahead of festivals,” he added.
Locals raised concerns about the area’s preparedness for potential disasters, as emergency vehicles could face obstacles in accessing the vicinity. “What if there is a short circuit here? All the shops will go down in flames and the fire brigade won’t be able to get through,” he said
Moreover, existing traffic signals and barricades appear ineffective in easing traffic congestion. Beyond traffic woes, the unsightly spread of garbage across town has become an eyesore for residents, accompanied by the unpleasant odour emanating from the accumulated waste.
