One must say that our government treats all its citizens with equity. In the name of development we have already two major messes which the commuting public of Goa have to contend with and that is the long delayed completion of the Miramar – Dona Paula road concretization and the more recent issue of the 4-laning of the Merces – Old Goa NH4A bye-pass where dust pollution is taking its toll on those using this road and the authorities have said to have consequently stopped movement of 2-wheelers and 4-wheelers except heavy vehicles on this road and diverted it through the old Ribandar road. That accounts for those that live towards Old Go and beyond. Margao traffic is a perennial logjam which at any time of the day except late afternoon one will find oneself in bumper to bumper traffic particularly around the Municipal Garden.
To cover the Porvorim and North Goa people the 3rd Mandovi Bridge was started so that these people also get familiar with traffic jams. During office hours early morning and late evening ever since the 3rd Mandovi Bridge construction has started the traffic jams have been increasing in density as also in duration of the jam. Added to this is the news There was a need for a 3rd Mandovi Bridge but not where it is being built. Another site would have allowed the North Goa commuters to remain with the problems of the existing 2 bridges which have since been certified to be strong enough for another ten years at the least.
Even now we can streamline traffic by reducing the number of crossovers on the two existing bridges for which it is best that the old Mandovi bridge be made one-way carrying traffic from the Panjim side to Porvorim and beyond and the new Mandovi bridge remain 2-way which will carry all traffic from North Goa to Panjim and beyond to South Goa except that on the up lane from Panjim to North Goa it will carry only heavy vehicles, like buses, trucks etc. This is because the old Mandovi bridge is not strong enough to carry heavy traffic. On the Panjim side of the bridges in the same way, traffic should be segregated at the Kadamba circle and allowed to flow through. It would benefit traffic greatly if all the circles on the Panaji side are removed making the roads wider. Essentially traffic is like water and needs to be allowed to flow since if you hold it up, just like you do for water, it will create a problem somewhere else.
To streamline traffic let all the South Goa traffic come into Panjim without any obstructions, circles or barricades or whatever, right upto the Goa Konkani Akademi where the road turns right. Similarly all traffic exiting Panjim should move through the Divja circle and take the road, which needs to be made one-way, to Kadamba circle where it can be segregated to go to South Goa and for North Goa by the old Mandovi bridge.
Similarly all traffic exiting Panjim should move through the Divja circle and take the road, which needs to be made one-way, to Kadamba circle where it can be segregated to go to South Goa and for North Goa by the old Mandovi bridge.
