With the growing technology and engineering field, the Indian roads have seen modern cars and bikes. This demands faster highways along with safer roads. But unfortunately the same improved engineering seems not adopted by our Goan road construction authorities.
The seven-kilometre road stretch from Bambolim to Dona Paula has become dangerous for the commuters following rising accidents cases and has become a virtual death trap.
Most of the accidents here on this four-lane road are of cars overturning after losing control (skidding). So far six accidents have taken place on this stretch since the four-lane road was constructed by Public Works Department (PWD). Out of six accidents, one was fatal and in two cases car overturned.
“So far casualties have been minimal but it needs urgent attention of the authorities,” said Dharmesh Angle, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic).
He has informed that at three places the rumble strips have been installed by PWD following demand by traffic police.
Angle informed that more such rumblers are proposed to control speeding vehicles on the same stretch.
“My appeal to people is to drive sensibly on this stretch and they should not fall to temptation and over speed,” Angle.
Sidhant Rane, a commuter who uses this road on a daily basis, has said that most of accidents have happened either in the evening time or in the night. He said that proper illumination may help during night driving.
Suraj Faldesai a civil engineer has questioned engineering of road. He said that vehicles on this road cannot exceed speeds of over 90 kms an hour. “The vehicle becomes unstable if this speed is exceeded and most of the accidents are fallout of this,” he mentioned.
A source who is a senior officer in PWD has said that the department has violated IRC guidelines while constructing this road and reason why many of the sharp turns are still as sharp despite spending crores of rupees on the construction.
The four-laning of the Bambolim-Dona Paula road was completed last year in the month of November. The said widening was proposed to ease traffic congestion in Panjim. VIP traffic, tourist traffic and traffic to the Cujira school complex at Bambolim are daily users of this road.
The total width of the finished road is 25 mtrs including footpaths. Construction of this seven-kilometre road has cost over Rs 33 crore to the state government.
