AFTAB SHAIKH
aftab@herald-goa.con
The Corporation of the City of Panjim’s (CCP) move in collaboration with the Traffic Cell to implement a one way road traffic plan will certainly ease the traffic congestion on narrow city roads; but at the same time streamlining the city roads is yet another challenge for the authorities.
As the capital city gears up to qualify for the Smart City Mission, the free movement of traffic through a one way road plan will definitely play a key role in competing with other cities of Goa.
Though the final road map has not been notified by the District Collector, the Traffic Cell has already started making efforts to make the initiative a successful one.
Herald inquiries have revealed that the 18th June road will continue to remain a one way towards Panjim Church while MG road will now be a one way road and the traffic flow will be towards Taj Vivanta. The Swami Vivekananda Road will be an exit road from the city to the main road i.e Dayanand Bandodkar Road and Dr Atmaram Borkar Road will lead towards St. Inez.
Meanwhile Dr. Dada Vaidya Road will move towards Panjim. Speaking to Herald, Panjim Traffic Cell Police Inspector Sudesh Velip said, “The Traffic Cell of Panjim has applied for additional staff in the city to implement the one way road plan. We need more personnel to monitor people at every junction.”
Observing the current scenario in the city, if one four-wheeler vehicle is parked alongside the two-way road, traffic flow gets affected, thus resulting in chaos.
However, implementation of one way traffic will ease the amount of traffic flow on each road and will result in a successful outcome.
Moreover, the major difficulty that will be faced by the Traffic Cell is putting the plan into practice due to a shortage of manpower and lack of awareness.
As per the traffic road map, an irregular traveller to Panjim will have difficult in manoeuvring through the city and will have to drive a longer distance to reach his destination.
Venita Gomes, an employee of a Panjim based company said, “The current traffic flow of the city is confusing as there are no proper signages to determine which road is a one way and where it leads. And if they are changing it further, that too without proper traffic signs, that it will make the matter worse. The biggest challenge for them is to monitor people.”
Meanwhile, another Panjim resident says, “There is a need of proper police personnel stationed at each and every junction of the city if they are planning to enforce one-way traffic. It will be difficult for people, especially tourists and people from other cities to travel in the capital.”
Ignoring the sorry state of roads; implementation of the one way may not have positive results.
Admitting the fact that potholes in Panjim are a major hurdle in the way of smooth flow of vehicles, PI Sudesh Velip said, “We have been sending proposals to CCP and the Public Works Department (PWD) to maintain the roads. Before the monsoons, we had sent a proposal.”
Speaking to Herald, Former CCP Mayor Surendra Furtado said, “One way road system is good. I support the move by the CCP because in European cities, it is all a one way system. I feel that a one way road system, pay parking and also clamping of vehicles should be enforced simultaneously.”
The one way plan was initiated by the traffic department under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Traffic Cell, Dharmesh Angle.
The traffic cell was studying traffic flow for the last three months and finally submitted the plan to CCP. Now the CCP as well the traffic cell is awaiting a positive nod from the District Collector which is expected to come next week.
