the goan I network
VASCO
Faced with widespread criticism over the proposed traffic diversion plan, which would entail a 22-km diversion via Chicalim for motorists and commuters plying between Margao and Panaji for up to a year, authorities have decided to put the plan on hold and to review it by consulting all stakeholders.
Authorities had been finalising plans for a major traffic diversion of vehicles plying along between Panaji and Margao via Cortalim, in view of the proposed closure of a stretch of the highway between Cortalim Circle and Sharayu Toyota showroom to complete the bridge flyover work.
When this proposed diversion plan was first highlighted in The Goan, criticisms from all quarters were swift and sharp, with panchayats, activists, locals and political parties strongly objecting to the plan.
Mindful of the widespread criticisms, the administration has decided to review this traffic diversion plan with all stakeholders.
“After the news appeared in The Goan, there was a noise and criticism to the traffic diversion plan. The administration has, therefore, decided to put the diversion plan on hold and defer the decision to a later date, probably after January 2019,” said an official in the district administration, while speaking to The Goan on Saturday.
“There is likely to be another meeting, but this time it will be convened with all stakeholders, including civic bodies and panchayats concerned, to assess the feasibility of the decision before the diversion plan is finalized and ready to be enforced,” said the official.
The desire to involve all stakeholders, including local bodies, to review the traffic diversion plan, appears to be an attempt to pacify local panchayats who had expressed anger after being kept in the dark regarding such a significant decision.
While an unhappy Sancoale sarpanch had said the panchayat was unaware and was not taken into confidence regarding any such diversion plan, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had slammed the administration and demanded that commuters be compensated for the inconvenience they would have to encounter because of the diversion plan.
Admitting there was no alternative but to close down the stretch of road between Cortalim circle and Sharayu Toyota showroom to complete the work, Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha had insisted that systems needed to be in place before diversion plan implemented to minimise the inconvenience of motorists and commuters.
Citizens MAY TAKE route TO COURT
PANAJI: A group of citizens are planning to knock the doors of the judiciary with a public interest litigation in a bid to preempt the State administration from going ahead with its plan to divert traffic on a stretch of the national highway at Cortalim to facilitate work on the six-lane Zuari bridge.
Noted RTI activist Kashinath Shetye said they are preparing to file the PIL in the Bombay High Court against the State government’s bid to help the contractors Dilip Buildcon by closing the road from Cortalim to Verna without notice to stake-holders including regular commuters on the route.
Sources said, a senior counsel is being roped in to draft the petition.
Shetye revealed the intention to file the PIL in a Facebook post on Saturday and urged citizens to join the effort.
