Excavated heaps of rubble and construction material are signs of a region under development. The public is wont to complain but this is the cost one has to pay for the progressive endeavours of the government. The stretch of the highway from Cortalim to Porvorim bears testimony to this fact. The fast-paced construction that is supposed to alleviate the travails of commuters is all set to meet its deadline. The sense of purpose very evident in the manner in which the works are being carried out by the companies which have undertaken the project has professionalism written all over it. Compare this with the incessant digging that has marred the beauty of Margao city. At loss to understand which agency is carrying out what work, the public continues to remain mute spectators to the circus of excavations taking place in the commercial capital. There is not one stretch of road in the city and the suburbs that has not borne the brunt of heavy earth-moving equipments. If it is sewerage work today, underground cabling and pipe-laying appears to take precedence the next day with well-asphalted roads being dug again and again! Take the Rawanfond railway over-bridge for instance! The place always wears the look of a site that is permanently under overhaul. The traffic snarl as one approaches is a nightmare. Already overloaded with innumerable water pipelines, it is but worrying to notice additional ones being added to the milieu of the existing ones every other day. The railway over-bridge being ‘burdened’ with bulky contraptions with the aim of extending better utility services to areas en route though commendable, is indeed a matter of concern. Taking into consideration the technical snags involved, hopefully, the PWD must have done a feasibility study of the works being carried out. Or else we are on the verge of a calamitous situation that can only spell disaster all around!
PACHU MENON, Margao
