Moving out
of Mapusa towards Colvale, one may have to keep guessing whether he is in Goa
or on the moon, considering the number of potholes just ahead of the Colvale
jail, on National Highway 66.
These
pothole-ridden roads are not found only in Mapusa or Panjim, but across Goa so
much so that locals will be forced to celebrate Ganesh with the potholes on
roads.
However,
the PWD has now started the patch work with concrete but sadly this hasn’t helped
as the rains continue to pour and the situation is worsened with gravel all
over the place.
One Rajesh
Kamat of Mapusa says, “Well, this is not the situation due to the monsoon. It
is a result of wholesale corruption in the PWD and its functioning.”
He adds
that the roads, which were newly laid were also washed away this monsoons.
“What kind
of work has been done by contractors? Why is the government spending money and
not asking contractors to repair? Where is the accountability?” he asked.
PWD Minister
Deepak Pauskar, who has been in eye of storm this monsoon, says there is very
little the department can do.
“We have
been waiting for the monsoons to slow down to start work. But it is not in our
hands. We have not begun doing the patch-work right from Pernem to Canacona and
Mollem to Vasco,” he said.
Pauskar
said that the government wanted the roads to be repaired before Ganesh and all
preparations were also done but the rain-gods have not been supportive at all.
“Even the
road on Chorla Ghat leading to Belgaum has been repaired with concrete. But it
has to dry otherwise it gets washed away with monsoons,” he said.
On the
delay in repairs ahead of monsoon, the OSD to PWD Minister Nitin Neurenkar says
was due to election code of conduct.
“Well, the
Model Code of Conduct was in force so there was no way tenders could be floated
for works. Nonetheless, everything has been taken up now on war footing and you
will see the result soon,” he said.
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Make contractors, engineers
criminally liable for road accidents
Yuva Goa
has demanded that the road contractors and engineers be made criminally liable
for death or injuries of citizens due to bad conditions of the road.
Addressing
a press conference, Team Yuva convenor Siddhesh Bhagat said that conditions of
roads in Goa is known to everyone and according to the reports available more
than 50% fatal accidents occur due to potholes yet it appears the Government is
taking this matter casually.
“Despite
repeated appeals and follow ups, we are losing many of our own people. Till
date, not a single contractor has been blacklisted. It was promised to us, that
the potholes will be filled before Ganesh Chaturthi but the fact remains, we
are cheated yet again. While at some places, lousy attempts are being made to
fill the large holes on the road using mixed laterite stone and soil, which is
appalling since it will definitely get washed away with the next spell of heavy
rains. We condemn this attempt to fool the people of Goa,” he said.
”The new
Motor Vehicle Amendment bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha on April 10,
provides steep penalties and stricter action for traffic violators but it lacks
the provision to ensure accountability of road authorities for defects in the
engineering, designs and maintenance of roads. We demand that road contractors
and engineers to be held criminally liable for causing deaths and injuries,” he
added.
He said Yuva
Goa will soon submit the memorandum to the Chief Minister where will demand the
names of black-listed contractors to be released and also them to pay fines for
their crime.
“We also
believe the Minister in-charge and the government is equally responsible for
the accidents on road just like any contractor. We will also demand the answers
of the questions raised by us,” he added.
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Yuva Goa raises these critical
questions
* Why isn’t a single contractor
punished till date for deaths on the road he was responsible for constructing?
* Is the tar, which is being used to
construct roads, checked for quality standards?
* If the answer to above question is
yes, then why do the roads get washed away immediately after rains?
* Are the PWD engineers working to
improve their quality standard especially after the kind of monsoons that hit
Goa this year?
* At some places, the height of the
roads touches the footpath, isn’t this dangerous for the pedestrians? For eg:
Margao Garden Circle
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Repaired last
week, potholes return this week!
The bad roads of Margao, which were repaired on August 23 and 24
have developed potholes again within a week prompting Bharatiya Janata Party
spokesperson Sharmad Raiturkar threatening to complain to the PWD Principal
Chief Engineer.
There was a public outcry against the pathetic condition of roads
in Margao particularly the ones around the Margao Municipal Council (MMC)
building, which had got washed away within 6 months of the asphalt being laid.
On August 20, Sharmad, while briefing media persons said the
repair work will commence shortly. Accordingly, on August 23, the road in front
of Grace Church was repaired while on August 24, the road between MMC building
and Longuinhos restaurant was repaired.
However, what is shocking is that these roads developed potholes
on August 30, which is within a week of they being laid and Sharmad has now
threatened to take up the matter with the Principal Chief Engineer.
“The contractor apparently did some patchwork to give the
impression that they have done the work but the quality of work done can be
seen as it was washed away within a week,” said Sharmad
Meanwhile Savio Coutinho representing Shadow Council for Margao
had on August 20, served a 24 hour-ultimatum to the authorities to repair the
roads, failing which, they threatened to take to the streets.
However, the Shadow Council for Margao is silent on the pathetic
condition of the roads at present and Savio said the engineers are giving the
excuse of rains for the work not done. “It is obvious that sub- standard
material was used for the repairs as cold mix is supposed to remain even during
the monsoons and what is being done is an exercise to hoodwink the people,”
said Savio.
Incidentally only two roads mentioned above were repaired while
the road leading to MMC building from Bank of India and from MMC to State Bank
of India have not been repaired. Similarly the roads around both the junctions
at Post office and at the end of Abade Faria Road are in a horrible condition.
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Promises of
fixing roads before Chaturthi were fake
The people from across Bardez are angry and upset over the condition
of the roads running through the taluka. At the same time they feel let down as
the government has failed to fix the roads as assured by them before Ganesh
Chaturthi and thus failed to keep the sanctity of the festival.
The Congress spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar applauded the
government for the highway expansion work being carried out but pointed out
their displeasure over the way the work was being carried out.
“The Chief Minister and the PWD Minister are on record in the
Assembly, for assuring the people of Goa that the roads would be hot mixed
before Ganesh Chaturthi. The government has failed and the public is
suffering due to the poor quality and potholes on almost every stretch of road in the
state. The government had first assured to fix the roads before monsoon. If
they have done let them show which roads is Bardez they have fixed. The stretch
from Guirim to Bastora is horrible,” said Panjikar.
“This government is good in telling lies and fooling the people in
the name of God. Since they said roads would be repaired before Chaturthi they
should have kept the sanctity of the festival and god. Despite paying heavy
road tax yet the public is being troubled. In fact the government should refund
the tax paid by the people,” he added.
Not denying the fact that the ongoing work for widening the
highway (NH-66) has become a matter of concern for those travelling on this
road especially at night. With construction work being carried out in patches,
movement of vehicles has become extremely haphazard on the route.
The stretch from the new flyover at Bastora up to the Sangolda
junction is turning out to be a death trap for commuters. There is no proper
lighting along this entire stretch and during the monsoon is very dangerous for
the commuters.
A daily commuter on that route, Anselm Fernandes told Herald that
the area near Milagres Church is bad.
“Recently they have filled the potholes with red mud and stones.
The roads are a mess everywhere. Especially the highway stretch between Guirim
and Bastora is horrible. The road is not even motorable. The authorities are
just turning a blind eye to all these things as first of all they travel in
cars and do not understand the plight of the common man,” said.
A resident of Mapusa and Councilor, Rajsingh Rane pointed out that
this time the road conditions in most parts of Goa are bad. “At least in the
recent years the situation was not the same to what it is at present. The PWD
lacks planning in certain areas where regular water logging occurs, turns and
low-laying areas near. I strongly feel that these areas should be covered with
heavy duty pavers,” said Rane.
Another resident of Mapusa, John Lobo highlighted that the roads
in Mapusa are terrible, especially the Gaunsavaddo road from the Highway to
Mapusa Church through the bypass. “The stretch from the highway to the District
hospital which has been a bumpy road due to the incomplete work of hot mixing
is causing a lot of inconvenience to patients being brought or taken from the
hospital,” said Lobo.
While the President of Porvorim Block Congress Committee, Adv
Shankar Phadte highlighted that the condition of roads in Bardez is at its
worst. “Never has it been this bad and it is alarming that the administration
is totally insensitive and careless as far as the life and safety of the people
is concerned. Mapusa has always remained the buzzing city during all
festivities but is not receiving the attention it needs. Water lines have
busted and gutters and drains overflowing on the roads adds to the nuisance.
Leave alone driving on these roads citizens are now ashamed at the living
conditions they are subjected to and are totally dismayed at the state of
affairs with no hope at all,” said Phadte.
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Interior roads or highways, bad
roads everywhere
The
internal roads and the State highways, which are plagued with potholes, are yet
to be fully repaired. PWD engineers along with their workforce have so far
managed to fill up half of the potholes from the Vasco area.
Locals
complain that even though Ganesh Chaturthi is one day away, PWD has failed to
complete the patch work and minor repairs as promised.
It
may be recalled that recently PWD assistant engineer (roads) from Vasco had
promised to complete the road filling work with the readymix concrete (RMC) but
this work has not been completed yet.
PWD
assistant Enigeer, Vincent Desouza said that since the last two days they are
undertaking patchwork of the state highway. “We have completed repairwork
of the road near Vaddem Lake. We are even working till late night undertaking
patchwork of the roads which are having potholes,” Desouza added.
When
asked when the road patchwork of the highways will be complete, Desouza
informed that the work is in progress and major roads have been already
repaired.
-x-x-x-x
A
daily nightmare for commuters and heavy vehicles
With incessant rains battering Canacona during the monsoon, the NH66 road has
washed away the bitumen surface and has developed cracks as well at many places
in Canacona.
Added to this, a contractor after laying a water conveying pipeline from
Sristhal to Char-Rasta, due to poor quality of workmanship has left this
stretch in total mess allege the road users.
Commuters travelling on this 5km stretch from Char-Rasta to Sristhal may find
it difficult to believe that he is on National Highway 66, and not negotiating
a road in a congested town.
Traffic congestion in this portion of NH66 is a concern for thousands of people
visiting Chaudi which is the commercial hub of Canacona for various work
ranging from school, office, market to Hospital.
“The average speed of a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler on the road is hardly 20kmph,
and at some spots it even comes down to 10 or even less complain commuters on
the route.
“From two wheelers to trucks, every heavy vehicle passes through the highway.
Potholes filled with muddy water are causing inconveniences to two wheeler
riders. Half of the road is affected and each time the contractor fill the
potholes it becomes more in the next rain” lamented Anil Bhagat an
activist and senior citizen from Canacona.
“It is not just that the road is narrow. Potholes and bitumen that have
come off the surface and the wide cracks on the surface makes the journey
further troublesome. There are no proper shoulders at this strech which makes
pedestrians to walk on the road compounding the situation” complained many
other commuters.
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