When he paid his first visit to Margao on March 25, 2012 days after taking over the reigns of office, he promised Madgavkars to accord top most priority to the burning traffic and parking problem plaguing the city.
Months later, the Chief Minister dished out another promise — to engage an agency to draw up a comprehensive plan for Margao on the lines of Panjim, for a holistic approach towards the issue and address the city’s traffic and other infrastructural requirements. The following were his broad priorities
Ring road project- going around in circles
Much water has flown down the River Sal during the last two and a half years since Parrikar has been at the helm of affairs, but the ground reality on the traffic and parking front remains unchanged. The city – the heart of Salcete – continues to be choked with increasing traffic with the decades old ring road project stuck up for want of land acquisition and rehabilitation and the promised parking lots yet to see light of the day.
The ring road project had virtually hit a dead end on Mungul-Comba stretch for want of rehabilitation of the residents at Comba, near the sub-way. The incomplete road has been giving sleepless nights to the beleaguered residents, but the government has not stepped in to rehabilitate them and connect the road to Pedda. Similarly, the ring road is bogged down on account of land acquisition at the Cine Lata stretch.
Konkan Railway Corporation’s proposal to build a fly over at the Comba rail level crossing on 50 per cent cost sharing basis has not helped ease traffic problem around the Comba area. KRC officials said the Corporation will take up work on the flyover at Comba as soon as it gets a nod from the state government.
Transport Plaza- a project without wheels
Come October 6, and it would be three years since the Kamat regime laid the foundation stone for the ambitious multi-crore transport plaza at the KTC bus stand. The project, it appears, have not found favour with the ruling dispensation, but what’s intriguing to note is that the government has till date not come out with any alternate proposal for a spacious bus terminus in the city. The KTC bus stand is operating from a make shift stand for over two decades now – a cause of congestion right at the northern entrance to the commercial capital.
Where woes are parked but vehicles arent
While Margao still has sufficient vacant spaces, vehicular parking is still a far cry. Both Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) and the Margao Municipal Council have now proposed three parking lots, but questions remains unanswered as to when they will take concrete shape.
Once he did a check list of the issues he red flagged, he drew up a check list for himself which went like this – traffic would be solved on priority with manpower needs of the traffic cell addressed, a second bus stand in the city and a monthly Margao visit to monitor progress
Two and a half years later, each of these check boxes remains unchecked.
