PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s statement asking people not to take out their cars out during the festive season to ease traffic congestion has evoked sharp responses from the citizens and stakeholders.
Lawrence ‘Xavi’ Silveira from Calangute said, “It takes one hour to come out of Calangute. The chartered buses should be stopped from going into the villages. Locals are here 24×7. Tourists are coming in buses which are plying on village roads throughout the day. I invite the Chief Minister to see how tourist buses are causing traffic problems in the coastal areas. On an average, 100 buses are running to and fro in Calangute, Baga
and Sinquerim.”
Political analyst Trajano D’Mello said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should first instruct his Cabinet and government personnel to lead by example, wherein their vehicles should not be seen on the roads. “The government should construct bungalows for all Ministers adjacent to the Goa Assembly Complex in Porvorim, and park their vehicles there,” said D’Mello.
“Secondly, being a festive season, one cannot avoid using their private vehicles as the quality of public transport is pathetic and overcrowded. Thirdly, there should be strict vigil at the borders not allowing those to enter without confirmed hotel bookings, as past experience tells us that unruly elements camp on the roadside creating a nuisance and littering the place,” D’Mello added.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State president Adv Amit Palekar said, “The Chief Minister is asking Goans to stay inside their houses but at the same time granting permission to events like Sunburn EDM festival, which are attracting thousands of tourists who will drive vehicles on roads. It is a perfect example of hypocrisy.”
Former Goa Government Employees Association president John Nazareth said, “I had suggested to former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar to create parking facilities at the outskirts of the Panjim city and ply buses in the city. If facilities are provided then we can ask the people to avoid using private vehicles. But the then government did not purchase buses under the JNNURM Scheme. When there is no facility, how can we insist that people use the public transport system? It is unfair. The Chief Minister should ask his Ministers to park their vehicles at Secretariat, Porvorim, and travel in public buses.”
Goa Congress president Amit Patkar said, “Instead of telling Goans not to use cars, the Chief Minister should tell the people what development the government has brought about in the State during the last 10 years.”
“See the condition of roads of the state. It is pathetic. Each and every road in Calangute area is dug. This is a complete failure of the government. Rather than telling Goans not to use their vehicles, the Chief Minister should first put restrictions on the influx of tourists. It is scary and unsafe for Goans to drive on the roads,” Patkar added.
All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOA) general secretary Sudip Tamhankar said that “the Government employees too should use public transport system for attending their offices instead of using their own private vehicles”.’
