Margao: Dubbed ‘The road to hell’ by South Goan locals, the National Highway 66 (NH66) that connects Margao to Polem is today a veritable accident zone. The NH66 passes through all of south Goa thus making it a critical arterial link for South Goan villages and is thus a very busy road.
Particularly treacherous are a series of illegitimate speed breakers, unmoved dead trees and sundry wandering animals creating a perfect cocktail of combinations leading to regular accidents. Locals say that it needs urgent attention from authorities to avoid further loss of lives and properties.
With regular accidents on the 60-plus kms stretch of NH66 road from Margao to Polem this road is always in the news. These accidents are not just minor mishaps but cases of major injuries and even deaths for no real fault of the driver have been reported.
After each such incident, locals demand rectification of the problem. There is a minor hue and cry only to be forgotten till the next tragedy strikes. Thus, the locals have dubbed it ‘The road to hell’.
This section of the NH66 road that lies on the western peninsula connecting north western India to south western States, is unique because it passes through dense villages and towns and some formidable terrain at the ghat section of Karmalghat and Partagal in Canacona. This portion of the road was built by the erstwhile Portuguese rulers over a century ago. Since then, apart from a little widening by a few metres, it has not seen much modifications.
After the Indian government, post 1991, opened up India’s economy, the economic prosperity of most Indians has increased substantially. This, in turn, has resulted in an exponential increase in vehicular traffic across the country. This national truth is true also for the stretch between Margao till the Polem border. This previously sleepy stretch today sees an average of 50,000 vehicles per day — from two-wheelers to heavy commercial vehicles.
Locals allege that over the years the vehicular traffic has increased geometrically but the road itself has not seen any changes in terms of width and blind curves are also left as they are.
A regular commuter from Canacona to Margao speaking to Herald highlighted the presence of dead and partially dead trees dangling on top of this road which seriously hurt humans when they crash down on the road. Another resident from Canacona Anil Bhagat said there are coconut trees at some places directly above the road and with non availability of coconut climbers the dry nuts and leaves fall on the unsuspecting commuters.
“This road is also uneven and without road banking at most of the curved sections which had led recently to one fatal accident in which two men lost their lives as the truck fell on its side crushing them underneath at the turn on Karmalghat,” said Bhagat.
Further, there are numerous blind and narrow curves specially at Partagal and Karmalghat blocking the view of the moving traffic ahead. The Ordhofond bridge is damaged with few metres of it without a railing on both the sides. The damaged railing itself stands unrepaired. This road also witnesses many groups of stray cattle making it difficult for motorists specially two wheeler riders to negotiate through them.
Goa has a total of 262 kms of national highways. The local Public Works Department (PWD) is entrusted to look after the maintenance of this stretch, The Supreme Court had ordered the authorities to replace the existing humps constructed across the highway with rumblers but they exist till today with about 30 speed breakers between Polem to Arlem in Margao posing constant danger to the travelling community.
This cocktail of anomalies is the leading cause of accidents that are witnessed on this part of the road, say residents.
