POLL-TIME PUSH: Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza inspects ongoing road milling works in Angod, Mapusa, on Wednesday.
Road works in Mapusa have finally gathered pace – with milling underway in Angod and the market area and hotmixing set to follow – but the timing has raised uncomfortable questions.
After nearly three to four years of hardship caused by badly maintained, dug-up roads, the sudden urgency of repairs just months ahead of elections has left many wondering: does the administration wake up only in an election year?
Residents of Angod and the bustling market belt have endured years of inconvenience. Roads were repeatedly dug up – first for underground power cabling in 2024 and later for new water pipelines – yet the restoration was carried out in a shabby manner.
The result was a prolonged period of suffering for locals. During the monsoon, navigating the cratered stretches became a risky ordeal, while in dry weather, dust invaded homes and businesses alike.
The situation in the market area was no better. Shoppers and vendors struggled with uneven, broken surfaces, and there were even instances of people falling due to the poor condition of the roads.
Despite repeated complaints, the works dragged on, leaving citizens to cope with chaos and neglect for years.
Now, with elections barely seven to eight months away, the same roads are being milled and prepared for hotmixing in what appears to be a last-minute push to fix long-pending issues.
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza said milling work is currently underway in Ward 9 at Angod, covering the stretch from Alankar Theatre to Milagres Church up to the taxi stand.
He added that departments are coordinating on water lines and electricity cables to avoid disruption to essential services. He also highlighted that a drain choked for nearly 15 years was cleared and restored within eight days.
Further works, he said, will extend across key commercial areas, including the bus stand, taxi stand, Pankar Lane and the stretch from Vodafone Gallery to Milagres Road.
He appealed to citizens, especially Mhapsekars, to cooperate with authorities for the timely completion of the works.
However, for many residents, the bigger issue remains unanswered.
If coordination and efficiency are now possible, why were citizens made to suffer for years?
