For a huge number of tourists, all roads will lead to the Calangute-Anjuna coast during the Christmas and New Year week. For locals, however, this is exactly the problem.
With the twin mega EDM festivals slated to attract thousands of revellers during the Christmas season, locals are already apprehensive about the ability of their roads to cater to this huge traffic. Further troubling them are the ongoing road works in various parts of Calangute, adding to the bottlenecks and traffic jams.
Though the two mega music events are to be staged at Candolim and Anjuna, the movement of traffic in Calangute could lead to severe traffic congestion, as roads are being repaired after completing sewerage works.
Despite assurances from Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, locals fear that traffic would be still be disrupted due to road repair works.
After locals raised their voice against noise pollution and traffic jams and other matters, the organisers of Sunburn were forced to move out of Candolim. The mega event was finally held at Anjuna on a grazing land, much against the wishes of locals and social activists. The business community had welcomed the arrival of Sunburn in their village with a hope of making a fast buck during the days of the event.
However, road closures and one-way traffic diversions have hardly benefited locals in the tourism trade. The locals were also inconvenienced with diversion of roads, as the residents were forced to take endless detours to reach their homes. Loud music further caused considerable inconvenience to senior citizens in the village.
The locals decided to oppose the Sunburn music festival in Anjuna village and even adopted a resolution against the event at a village Gram Sabha.
“When the Sunburn Music Festival was denied permission in Candolim and was subsequently granted permission in Anjuna, we welcomed them hoping that our locals will make good business during the days of the event,” said a local activist, Jayprakash Sirsaikar.
“However, most hotels and restaurants in the locality and in Anjuna remained empty. Though there were tourists, they could not visit or patronize our hotels or restaurants as the roads were closed for traffic and traffic was diverted elsewhere,” he said.
“There is no proper infrastructure in our village to organise such a mega music event and the State government is aware of these limitations. But permissions were granted at the very last minute to suppress any movement or agitation. Considering the difficulties and inconvenience of last year, we do not want the Sunburn festival in our Anjuna village,” said Sirsaikar.
When asked to justify the wisdom of holding mega music events along the Calangute coast, especially during ongoing road works, BJP Calangute Block General Secretary Ganesh Ghongade admitted that road works along with EDM festivals could affect the locals.
“The road works that are being taken up were long due and development is required. However, considering the developmental works in the coastal villages of Calangute, the mega music events could have been given a miss this time, although they are required from the tourism point of view,” said Ghongade.
When contacted, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said efforts would be made to streamline traffic congestion during the Christmas season.
“The road works, including sewerage network, will be suspended for five days to avoid traffic jams. Other road works are being taken up and will be completed before the musical events. I don’t see any reason for traffic jams on account of road works,” said Lobo.
Incidentally, Lobo has been demanding that permission be granted to only one mega music event, claiming that the local police force would be insufficient to handle law and order at two music events.
