MARGAO: The Carnival and Shigmo float parades have cost the government treasury a hefty sum, thanks to the incompetence of the workers of Margao Municipal Council. Nearly 100 new delineators installed on the town’s roads were destroyed when they were removed to make way for the floats, leaving the authorities with no other option but to purchase new ones.
In response, a group of citizens have demanded that the delineators be re-installed immediately. However, it appears that the Public Works Department has only just started the process of re-installation on Tuesday, leaving the city without proper traffic barriers for weeks.
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An assistant engineer from the PWD said that the Department had installed nearly 100 delineators in the commercial town of Margao, at a cost of over one lakh rupees. “Most of these delineators are now damaged and cannot be re-installed. We managed to reinstall a few good ones near Holy Spirit Church on Tuesday,” he said.
Savio Coutinho, convenor of the Shadow Council for Margao, revealed that the barriers were installed just a month prior to the Carnival celebrations. “The need for these barriers arose on account of motorists jumping traffic rules, causing accidents and blocking the smooth flow of traffic. At the Holy Spirit School junction, it was observed that two wheelers and four wheelers were taking an unauthorised U-Turn creating traffic issues; and near the Municipal building, two wheelers were found cutting through the road division stones,” explained Coutinho. “However, it is close to a month now, and none of the authorities are aware of the whereabouts of the traffic barriers, though some are seen lying in the gutter near Holy Spirit school,” he added.
Coutinho expressed concern that some departments may come up with a fresh tender to install the barriers, resulting in further loss of public funds.
He stated that the
purpose of highlighting
this issue is to ensure that such an occurrence does not take place.
