Zooming traffic makes KA entry unsafe

The lethargic approach of the Corporation City of Panaji (CCP) and the Traffic police led to the loss of a life in front of the Kala Academy just last week, when a speeding auto dashed a person who succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

Kala Academy, a premier institute in the field of art and culture, has hundreds of visitors daily and thousands visit it throughout the year for the various events or programmes. But the people who visit the academy face continuous traffic on the double lane road they have to cross to reach the academy. There is no traffic signal, nor traffic policeman, nor guard, and not even rumblers to check the speed of vehicles zooming on the Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, forcing pedestrians to run across the street. 

Vehicles on both lanes – from Miramar towards the city and from the city towards Miramar – are driven at high speed. There being another road from St Inez leading to this crossing, the area becomes very congested with pedestrians and vehicles.

Though Kala Academy has its own parking space, most of the time this is filled up and visitors are forced to park their vehicles outside the Kala Academy, necessitating the road crossing.

Kala Academy has made a provision of separate gates for entry and exit so that traffic can move smoothly, but according to Kala Academy Chairman Vishnu Wagh, vehicles still face difficulties in entering and exiting the premises. 

“It is the responsibility of CCP and the traffic police. Kala Academy has no role in this matter but we are concerned of the safety of the visitors to this institute and have made several representations to the authorities. I will remind them again soon,” Wagh said.

Wagh said that despite knowing that this is major junction the police have not posted a single guard which would be of a great help in controlling the speed of the vehicles. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police North Goa Traffic Cell, Dharmesh Angle said he does not have enough manpower to guard all the junctions, but whenever the home guards are available he posts them at Kala Academy.