Mishaps on rise along Porvorim stretch of National highway

Mishaps on rise along Porvorim stretch of National highway
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
PORVORIM, JAN 11
There had been a surge in the number of mishaps in Porvorim during the year 2010.
While there were 133 accidents in 2003, the figure shot up to 281 in 2009 and 343 in 2010.
In 2003, 133 accidents were registered at Porvorim Police station, of which 14 were fatal.
The number of mishaps rose to 281 in 2009, of which 11 were fatal, 130 were major ones and 140 were minor mishaps.
In 2010, the accidents went up to 343, consisting of 10 fatal mishaps, 99 major mishaps and 234 minor mishaps.
“Over 80% of the mishaps have taken place along the stretch of national highway, commencing from Mandovi Bridge to Alto-Porvorim Bazaar,” an official from the Porvorim police told Herald.
“Over speeding and negligent driving are the main causes of accidents. With the laying of the road divider along the highway in 2004, it was expected there would be drop in the rate of accidents. On the contrary, accidents have been on the rise,” the official added.
In a bid to curb growing mishaps in the area, police have suggested installation of traffic signals near O’Coqueiro junction, ‘no-entry’ signboard at PDA Colony to prevent vehicles from PDA Colony proceeding towards Jivottam Mutt and streetlights from Alto Bazaar to Green Park Hotel.
Porvorim Residents Welfare Association (PRWA) Secretary Juino De Souza has also expressed concern over the increasing road accidents on the Porvorim highway.
“Considering the minor accidents that go unreported, one accident occurs practically every day in the jurisdiction of Porvorim Police station,” said De Souza.
De Souza said the PRWA has been consistently appealing to the government to deploy traffic police along the Porvorim highway, especially at intersections, junctions and roundabouts near Mandovi Bridge, Sai Service, Catering College, Holy Family High School and Alto-Porvorim Bazaar atleast during peak hours, but in vain.
“The best way to reduce congestion on this stretch and reduce accidents would be to construct a flyover from Sai Service to Alto Porvorim Bazaar,” said De Souza.