Is there any solution to the chaotic traffic scenario along the busy Aquem-Margao road, where traffic snarls are a daily occurrence?
Ask this question to the Road Transport Officers and the traffic police and immediately comes a reply that the system has indeed collapsed and has failed to give relief to the road users.
Otherwise, consider this: Around 60-70 buses ply on the busy Aquem-Margao route – 25-30 city buses connecting Margao to the Housing Board areas of Gogol and Rumdamol and the remaining buses running on the Sanguem-Sanvordem-Quepem-Margao route. Added to this is the host of business establishments that have come up right along the road, creating traffic bottlenecks and throwing up parking problems.
In fact, driving along the St Sebastian Church junction has virtually become a nightmare for four-wheeler and two-wheeler riders. It’s not uncommon to find buses making long halts at the junction to collect railway passengers, which only adds to the congestion. The situation is further compounded by unauthorised bus stops and buses crawling all along the road and right under the nose of the authorities.
Assistant Transport Director Sandeep Desai was more forthright when he strongly advocated deployment of a couple of KTC buses between Margao and the city outskirts. “The existing system has failed to enforce discipline along the road. Buses making unauthorised and long halts when they are supposed to only drop and pick up passengers have become a rule rather than an exception,” Desai said.
Herald inquiries have revealed that like in the rest of the town, bus stops on the Aquem-Margao route have not been notified till date, giving the buses the liberty to make halts as per their whims and fancies.
Says Aquem ward Councillor, Avinash Shirodkar, “The Aquem-Margao road is a neglected route. The residents have been demanding speed breakers on the Power House to St Sebastian Church stretch of the road, but in vain. The authorities should pay attention to this road on a priority.”
To avoid the congestion around the St Sebastian Church junction, the police have mooted shifting of the bus halt near the post office. Says Traffic Cell In-charge PI Prabodh Shirwaikar, “The Aquem-Margao road needs a holistic approach to overcome congestion. In addition to the shifting of the bus halt, the road needs widening to take the traffic load. The ring road should be put to optimum use. Notifying the bus stops along the route will also go a long way in streamlining traffic.”
