The Legislative Assembly on Friday expressed a unified concern over the alarming rise in road accidents across the State, with voices from all sides emphasising the gravity of the issue, an issue that has been debated for the past several years. Legislators spoke not only about driving errors but a collective failure involving poor road infrastructure, lax enforcement, underage driving and reluctance to onboard AI-based surveillance. This consensus is a positive sign, reflecting a joint commitment to safeguarding lives, but it also highlights the urgent need for comprehensive, systemic reforms.
The discourse at the Assembly reveals a cocktail of issues, but the focus has been largely on the PWD and policing. The Opposition’s pointed attack on the PWD highlights how neglected roads and uncoordinated utility digging have contributed directly to fatalities. Despite directives from the Supreme Court and the government, many roads remain riddled with potholes and craters, especially in rural Goa, turning them into death traps. The failure to prioritise timely maintenance ahead of the monsoon exacerbates the problem, especially when multiple agencies dig up the same stretches repeatedly.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s decision to ban road digging by various departments is welcome but raises questions about its practicality. When departments approach the PWD with proposals to lay underground cables, enforcing the ban may be doubtful. Recovering costs from contractors and simultaneously completing all utility works during major road construction are pragmatic measures. However, coordination among departments remains a challenge, especially when multiple agencies seek to lay cables or pipelines, often leading to repeated excavations, undermining road integrity and safety.
Enforcement remains another critical area where efforts have fallen short. There were over 81,000 traffic challans in the fiscal year 2023-24, raising Rs 13.4 crore in fines, but these measures haven’t helped in curbing accidents. AI-based traffic cameras, which generated nearly Rs 6.9 crore in fines, are a step forward; however, their deployment remains limited to certain areas, such as Panaji and Porvorim. This is disappointing, especially given the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance enforcement, detect violations in real-time, and reduce human error. The promise of dynamic, mobile policing, as assured by the DGP last year, has not materialised fully.
The government’s focus on enforcement must be complemented by infrastructural improvements. While highways are maintained reasonably well, inner roads are neglected, with potholes and black spots posing deadly risks. The call for quick fixes using jet patchers is practical and necessary, but it requires scaling up the fleet of repair vehicles and ensuring rapid response mechanisms. Long-term solutions should involve hot-mix overlays and regular mechanised maintenance, perhaps supplemented by innovative technologies like drone-based inspections or automated repair bots.
Addressing Goa’s rising road accidents requires a multi-pronged approach, no doubt, but policing shoulders a big responsibility. Authorities need to overcome the fear of a backlash from sections and unleash ruthless measures rather than focusing on penalising those without helmets and seatbelts. Reckless driving is responsible for the highest number of accidents, and this is where the focus should be. Awareness campaigns and traffic safety weeks are not helping. If Goa has to see a dip in road accidents, a lot will have to change, beginning with the attitude towards this scourge. That being said, the collective acknowledgement of the problem in the Assembly and the willingness to act are two of the big takeaways of this session.
