the goan I network
MARGAO
Thanks to the High Court directions in a Public Interest Litigation (suo moto), the PWD has finally linked the long-delayed ring road from Colva road to the city near
La Flor.
Strange, however, it may seem that in its hurry to comply with the High Court directives, the PWD seems to have not taken into account the need to provide illumination along the near one-km long road, from the Colva circle to the Comba subway. That’s not all. The 11 families, who were displaced by the ring road at Comba, continue to be housed at the Housing Board, with the promised permanent rehabilitation of the families still a far cry despite land admeasuring 7,000 square metres being acquired for the purpose.
Inquiries by The Goan has revealed that while the PWD officials went about completing the ring road along the Western bypass in full steam so as not to antagonise the High Court, the officials seem to have completely forgotten the need to make budgetary provision for the illumination of the ring road. The result being that while the ring road has been thrown open for traffic, pitch dark conditions along the entire Comba Subway-Colva road stretch keeps away many a motorist from riding on the road for fear of coming in the way of anti-socials. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find groups of youngsters making merry along the road, drinking and smoking late evenings.
When The Goan contacted PWD, Executive Engineer, Roads Agnelo Barros to shed light on the illumination of the ring road, he was frank in admitting that there was no budgetary provision for the illumination of the road. “There was no provision made in the tender to build the ring road from the Colva road to the subway,” Barros said, while saying that other agencies such as the Margao Municipal Council should take up the work of illumination on the road.
Officials in the know pointed out that budgetary provision is always made for illumination when new roads are taken up for construction.
