PANJIM: The traffic police’s illogical insistence on putting barricades in a zig-zag manner, for a purpose which can’t be explained, had led to manmade traffic chaos in this 1.5-kilometre stretch ahead of the Zuari Bridge from the Panjim to Margao side.
Barricades placed at different locations significantly slow down the traffic flow. On Monday, traffic was literally frozen.
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Monday’s post-Christmas chaos where a jam just on this 1-km stretch lasted for 6 hours, with the blockade increasing either way as cars piled up, was mainly due to this coupled with some other factors.
It’s a tale of a shrinking road that turns into a totally blocked road at the Agasaim Police Station junction.
The roads are getting choked as the stretch from Bambolim reduces from four lanes to two at Agasaim junction and further to a single lane near Agasaim Police Station. And the narrow old Zuari Bridge further worsens the situation. A similar situation is witnessed at the Cortalim junction where there is a high volume of incoming vehicles from Vasco and Margao.
Speaking to Herald, Sameer Phal, financial services professional was among the people who were stuck in the traffic on Monday evening said that it was a “complete mess”.
“It was a storm. Zero planning and myopic authorities are responsible for causing hardships to commuters. Hope this is the absolute low and it doesn’t surprise us by getting worse than this,” Phal said.
Shazib Sheikh, who is a taxi operator, said that he could not reach on time with passengers (domestic tourists) at Dabolim Airport as he was stranded for nearly four-and-half hours in traffic.
“The vehicles had piled up on the bridge, at one point I could not even move my taxi even an inch for 20 minutes,” he said.
Ramesh Vernekar, a resident of Agasaim said that he sold tea and water bottles to the stranded commuters.
“I did make money by selling tea and water, but I feel the government should not wait for any VIP to inaugurate the new bridge, they should immediately throw open the new bridge and give relief to the people,” he said.
The number of vehicles far exceeds the space available which is leading to chaos at Zuari Bridge. People from different areas rushing to click selfies on the new Zuari bridge is also contributing to the traffic jam as they take their vehicles on the elevated flyover through the down ramp of the bridge at Agasaim junction.
The commuters will continue to suffer till the government throws open the new Zuari Bridge.
Superintendent of Police (SP), Traffic Cell, Bossuet Silva on Tuesday claimed that minor accidents mainly because of indiscipline by bikers is leading to disruptions in traffic flow on the Zuari Bridge and its approach roads.
But the people of Goa are absolutely fed up because they feel that this is a jam of inefficiency and not just increasing traffic.
