Goa’s Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has reiterated his resolve to build educational complexes on the outskirts of Margao, Vasco and Ponda on the lines of the Cujira integrated school complex where schools which are in the middle of the cities will be shifted. This is a step in the right direction as it will lead to decongestion of the roads as school-buses and parents, who bring their children to school in their vehicles, cause a lot of traffic congestion. In Vasco the road leading to the St Andrew’s church square is the most congested road in the city. There are two schools, a primary school and a Higher Secondary school in close vicinity. When school gets over, the situation on the road is absolutely chaotic. Several private vehicles and school buses come to pick up the students. It is understood that the Cujira school complex took twelve years for completion. It must be said that Vasco needs a much quicker solution to the problem of road congestion near the schools. Here are some suggestions.
1) Declare the entire road in front of the St. Andrew’s church as “No Parking” zone.
2) The schools which lie in the vicinity should close half an hour apart from each other so that the number of children on the road is reduced.
3) Install traffic-lights in order to control the movement of the traffic and the pedestrians.
4) Have “Zebra Crossings” at various locations on the road.
5) Building of a foot-bridge for the school children to cross the road would be a great help.
6) Alternatively build a by-pass.
