DHIRAJ HARMALKAR
dhiraj@herald-goa.com
CORTALIM: For motorists on the Panjim-Margao and Panjim-Vasco route, it was a Saturday like any other. They were caught in a traffic jam at Agassaim and Cortalim, and it took them much over an hour to negotiate the stretch.
The reason: a minor accident involving a yellow and black taxi and another vehicle, and a vehicle breakdown on Zuari Bridge. Traffic jams are becoming regular on this stretch, and there appears to be little being done to ease the flow of vehicles. The previous Saturday, commuters spent up to four hours here, waiting for a break in traffic.
Herald dug deeper to determine the reasons behind the constant traffic jams on this stretch and find solutions to the issue. Whether it is the traffic cop on the street or the top brass, the reasons they give are the same.
Speaking to Herald, Dy SP (Traffic) North Dharmesh Angle said that the main reason behind traffic congestion was vehicle breakdowns and accidents. He also said that the bridge was built years ago and is not sufficient for the traffic that has increased manifold.
He said that in the past ten days the traffic congestion at specific hours has increased, the reason behind it being the International Film Festival of India. He also said that people from South Goa use the Zuari bridge to go to Old Goa for the ongoing novenas in preparation for the feast of St Francis Xavier, which causes congestion on the single carpet bridge.
The third issue he pointed out is that thousands of people working at Verna Industrial Estate tend to use the single carpet road in the evenings at the same time as offices end simultaneously.
“Ultimately the width of the road and the Zuari bridge remains the same. Every year on an average, 1 lakh automobiles are added to the existing number of vehicles. During weekends and especially at year-end festivities and tourism season, tourists on the road also increase, which further leads to an increase in the volume of vehicular traffic,” Angle added.
He also said that tourists tend to jump the queue to catch flights. “My advice to such people is that they should abide by the traffic rules and leave their homes a bit early to avoid delay,” Angle said.
Asked what steps have been taken to ease the traffic flow, Angle said wherever it is feasible to divert traffic they do it. “The spot which needs to police personnel to ease the traffic jams, I deploy police. Frankly, it won’t make much difference, but I make efforts to push the traffic through the same existing gap. More focus is given to regulate traffic movement.”
Cortalim residents unhappy
Residents of Cortalim are unhappy with the dust pollution, traffic jams, noise pollution which they have to live with.
Cortalim panch Manuel Silva said that the regular traffic jams at Cortalim are becoming unbearable for the locals. “I feel the government authorities should bring some solution to this as pedestrians also face a problem crossing the road. On Saturdays the weekend traffic rush becomes painful as it goes on for three to four hours minimum,” Silva said.
Anzil Godinho, who lives on the stretch said there is no solution to the problem because Cortalim circle is the main issue, as at peak hours vehicles heading to Vasco from Panjim have to cross the circle, so traffic has to stop from the Margao side to give way and those few minutes increase the vehicle queue.
But he suggests a solution. “Borim road is a distance away, but we can avoid delay by keeping line breakers in place and those who are the main cause of traffic jams should be seriously punished,” Godinho said.
Another person named Rohan Azarekar said, “It is best to avoid speed which may lead to accidents which further worsen the traffic congestion. I am hopeful that once the bridge work is completed there will be smooth movement of traffic.”
