Work on the Calvim-Carona bridge is yet to be completed, but the discontinuation of ferry services has caused severe hardships to residents in Calvim and surrounding areas, as they now have to travel 18 kilometers via Mayem, Sirigao, Poira and Corjuem to reach Aldona – a short distance of 2.5 kilometers either by ferry or on bridge
With the discontinuation of ferry services and a bridge yet to be completed, the 2.5 km route between Calvim and Aldona has now become an arduous 18 km detour via Mayem, Sirigao, Poira and Corjuem.
What has also added to the woes of residents from Calvim and surrounding areas is that the narrow road is full of potholes and a culvert near the railway crossing is considered weak to the extent that residents fear that it could collapse at any time.
Narrating their difficulties in a letter to Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo earlier this month, residents of Calvim and Ponoulem in Aldona claimed they have been suffering due to the River Navigation Department’s (RND) decision to close the public ferry service since May without arrangements of a temporary ferry ramp.
“To add insult to the suffering of villagers, the RND has kept this public ferry service at the disposal of the contractor of the bridge, to be used to transport his materials, heavy equipment and manpower, by stopping our villagers and general public and this is contrary to the Government rules,” stated the letter.
They stated that villagers, in the absence of ferry services linking Calvim and Carona, are now forced to use only one road via Mayem, Sirigao, Poira and Corjuem to reach to Aldona.
“This is an 18-km detour, instead of the regular 2.5 km road to Aldona and villagers have been spending longer hours to travel because of railway crossing signals and students reaching home for lunch only by 3 pm. This has affected their concentration in studies,” the letter added.
“Moreover, this road from Calvim till Mayem is narrow, full of potholes and is dangerous to travel. A culvert near the railway crossing is very weak and may collapse at any time.”
The villagers were also aggrieved that PWD authorities had failed to repair the potholed road.
“The executive engineer (Works Division XIII) at Mapusa, the executive engineer (Roads) at Bicholim and others concerned failed to show any interest to urgently repair this road till date,” stated the letter.
The residents have now requested the Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo to instruct the RND to initiate immediate action to construct a temporary ferry ramp at the Calvim-Carona ferry point and to direct authorities to repair the Calvim-Mayem road.
When contacted, Ticlo said he has already written to Chief Minister Manohar Parriker, requesting him to urgently widen the Calvim–Mayem road.
“The chief minister has assured me that he will do the needful. Since heavy machinery and equipment are being used in the construction of the bridge, it is not advisable to operate a ferry service as the lives of villagers are most important,” said Ticlo.
“The villagers had approached me in this regard and I had told them to talk to the contactor and find out if the contractor can stop work and spare a ferry in the morning and afternoon for a trip or two, to enable students go to school and return home.”
“If the contractor agrees to this, I can then talk to the chief minister and the river navigation department accordingly. Having said that, it is a question of maximum of three weeks, by which time the Calvim-Carona Bridge will be made operational,” said Ticlo.
