School route, old-age home, police station hit badly
MAPUSA
A key road leading into the beach village of Calangute has remained dug up and unrepaired for nearly a year, prompting mounting frustration among residents and strong criticism from the local Congress unit.
The broken stretch, which was excavated for pipeline work, continues to pose serious risks to pedestrians and motorists and has severely disrupted daily movement in the area.
According to locals, the damaged road serves as an important link to three schools, forcing parents and schoolchildren to navigate dangerous, uneven terrain every day.
An old-age home in the vicinity has also reportedly been unable to receive ambulance services due to the condition of the road.
Despite the prolonged inconvenience, officials have diverted traffic to a single lane while leaving the dug-up portion untouched for months.
Calangute Congress Block President Lourence Silveira criticised authorities for ignoring repeated appeals.
“The road has been closed for nearly a year and the route toward Calangute has been made one-way. This is peak season and tourists arrive in hordes. How are they expected to drive? Traffic jams are a daily affair and businesses are suffering. The repair work must start within 15 days,” he demanded.
GPYC Vice President Vivek D’Silva pointed out that the same road also leads to the local police station, which sees heavy public footfall.
“The road dug up for laying pipelines has created major problems for locals and tourists alike. People have been complaining constantly, but it seems their concerns aren’t reaching elected representatives – or perhaps they are simply working for personal benefit,” he alleged.
D’Silva warned that if repairs do not commence immediately, the Congress along with affected residents will storm the concerned office and gherao the officials responsible.
Attempts to reach the Public Works Department were unsuccessful, as officials did not respond to phone calls.
