TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The sodomy incident involving a minor boy recently has not come as an eye opener to the authorities, including the police, magistrate and the PWD, which have preferred to turn a blind eye to the anti-social activity around the area nor moved in to illuminate the bridge and the place where the unfortunate act took place.
On October 3 last, Herald had highlighted how pedestrians and motorists alike avoid the newly-constructed footbridge connecting the old Margao railway station to Calconda because of anti-social activities and for want of illumination.
The sodomy incident has brought to the fore the overall security and illumination arrangements in and around the area to keep the anti socials at bay.
Indeed, more than three months and half after local residents and shopkeepers pleaded for security and illumination at the footbridge, things have not changed for the better. While anti-socials rule the roost at the foot bridge area near the old station in the absence of police patrolling, the Konkan Railway Corporation and the state authorities are locked in a duel over the responsibility of maintaining the footbridge.
Says KRC Sr Public Relations Manager, Baban Ghatge: “The KRC is not at all responsible for manning the footbridge. Our responsibility was to build the footbridge as depository work and hand over the same to the state government,” he said.
Ghatge further revealed that the KRC has already handed over the Station road-Calcondem footbridge to the PWD by a letter dated January 11, 2013. “The responsibility of illumination of the footbridge and beef up security at the site rests with the PWD and the Goa police respectively,” he added.
What’s interesting to note is that the local and district authorities had failed to step in despite the spate of robberies, including chain snatching incidents, in and around the footbridge.
Says a shop owner on the station road: “We have stopped complaining in view of the lethargic attitude of Goa Police. Local people on either side of the bridge have stopped using the footbridge on security grounds, but that has not spurred the police to make its presence felt and instill confidence in the public,” he added.
