PANAJI
A Margao-based lawyer has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking its intervention to direct authorities to audit, repair and enhance important road sections, particularly those affected by ongoing construction activities like the NH66 elevated corridor.
In his petition, Advocate Moses Pinto also sought improvement in signage, road markings, and adequate lighting to mitigate congestion and accidents. The petition raised the issue of road safety in Goa, specifically highlighting inadequate road infrastructure, inconsistent traffic law enforcement, lack of adoption of modern traffic management technologies and the growing number of road fatalities.
The petitioner further emphasised poor infrastructure, lack of systematic enforcement of traffic laws, and failure to implement international road safety best practices, which it stated has resulted in a high number of road accidents and fatalities. He sought the High Court's intervention to compel the government to adopt effective road safety measures.
"Multiple instances of unsafe traffic management practices, poor road conditions, and insufficient enforcement have been documented, contributing to road accidents within the state of Goa. The fatality rate on Goa’s roads, including national highways, has been increasing, attributed to inadequate road safety infrastructure and lapses in oversight during
the execution of new road infrastructure projects," it said.
The ongoing construction of the elevated corridor at Porvorim on NH66 resulted in severe congestion, particularly affecting the stretch between Guirim junction and Mall de Goa. "Despite implementing alternative routes, commuters continue to face significant delays, indicating ineffective planning and traffic management during construction, which increases the risk of accidents," the advocate said adding, "The road diversions implemented at Porvorim as part of the NH66 elevated corridor project have caused further disruption. Insufficient planning of alternative routes has led to increased congestion and safety risks for road users, underscoring the need for coordinated traffic management measures during infrastructure projects."
Besides road infrastructure and maintenance, Pinto pleaded systematic traffic enforcement, emergency medical response, breathalyzer checks, drunk driving control and public awareness campaigns among other reliefs.
