Minister Vijai’s directions to improve Margao traffic flow not yet followed

Team Herald

MARGAO: Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai had given some directions to improve the traffic flow in Margao during his visit to the Margao Municipal Council in November. 

What is surprising to note is that the Margao Traffic Police have not followed any of these directions till date.

Following Doris Texeira’s complaint that Dada cranes are parked on land acquired by the government, the Traffic Police were told to get them shifted. However, the cranes continue to be parked here even today.

Margao Traffic Police Inspector Mohan Gaude informed that he had called one of the four brothers, who own Dada cranes and had told him to remove the cranes. However, Sharif Shaikh, one of the brothers said they have not received any such instructions from the police.

“We are four brothers who continue the old business which was started by our father, who used the chain and block system then,” he said adding that they have been parking the cranes there since they changed to the new crane system around 20 years back.

The four brothers own 10 big cranes and three small ones. There are around 18 members of the Shaikh family dependent on this business along with the families of those employed by them as cleaners and drivers.

“We have even rushed in the middle of the night to clear roads of trees which got uprooted and the ones pruned whenever the police called us,” said Sharif and questioned as to what was problem did Doris have if they park their cranes on the land which is otherwise not being used for any other purpose.

PI Mohan Gaude said, “We had proposed to reserve the road from the Traffic Cell at the Navelim side of the flyover proceeding to Margao as one way only for the vehicles coming to Margao and those proceeding to Navelim to divert them down the road where the cranes are parked and to proceed to Navelim”.

However, as there has been no response from the authorities to this proposal, the area acquired by the government is used for parking Dada Cranes and other vehicles.

Similarly, Vijai had directed the Traffic Cell to launch a drive against those people and societies which had reserved public space for private parking like the one done at a shopping centre at a complex.

However, no action has been taken to give public access to the parking meant for them which has been surreptitiously carved away by private enterprises. 

“The MMC was supposed to undertake the drive and they have not done so as yet,” said Gaude.

Besides, Vijai had asked the traffic police to shut down the Margao flyover for 24 hours to enable the National Highways to carry out the necessary repairs. That too has not yet been done though PI Gaude disclosed that the National Highways were supposed to engage a different contractor who had promised to complete the flyover repairs in three hours.