MARGAO
With the commencement of the new academic year, the familiar traffic congestion and parking challenges have once again returned to haunt stakeholders in Margao, including schools, students, parents and law enforcement agencies.
Despite repeated concerns raised over the years, little appears to have changed on the ground, particularly in and around the city centre, which houses several educational institutions. The reopening of schools has exposed persistent shortcomings in addressing traffic woes, pedestrian safety and parking infrastructure, prompting renewed calls for urgent intervention by authorities.
Danger at crossing
One of the most alarming scenes unfolded at the busy Comba railway crossing, where a group of students was seen crossing the railway tracks with a bicycle in tow while the railway gate remained closed to vehicular traffic. Apparently in a hurry to reach school on time, the students chose to navigate the crossing despite the obvious risks involved. Residents and commuters say such incidents are far from isolated. “Schoolchildren crossing the railway tracks when the gate is shut has become a common sight. It is a dangerous practice, but many feel they have little choice due to the delays caused by traffic congestion,” a local resident said.
The problem is compounded by the increasing frequency of both passenger and freight train services operating on the Konkan Railway and South Western Railway routes, resulting in longer gate closures and heavier traffic bottlenecks.
Subway under strain
The decade-and-a-half-old Comba subway, intended as an alternative route whenever the railway crossing remains closed, is increasingly proving inadequate to handle present-day traffic volumes.
During peak school hours, the subway witnesses a surge of vehicles, leading to severe congestion and long queues on either side. Students and parents have expressed concerns that pedestrians are left vulnerable as hundreds of vehicles pass through the narrow underpass. “There is hardly any safe space for pedestrians when traffic is diverted through the subway. Schoolchildren are forced to compete for space with moving vehicles,” a parent remarked.
The situation has worsened over the years with the steady increase in vehicular traffic and rail movements, exposing the limitations of the existing infrastructure.
Traffic woes return
At the nearby Comba subway junction, traffic was seen moving at a snail’s pace as two traffic personnel worked tirelessly to regulate the flow of vehicles. Apart from managing traffic entering and exiting the subway, the officers were also tasked with handling the heavy volume of vehicles ferrying students to neighbouring schools. Traffic sources acknowledged that the junction remains highly vulnerable to gridlock during peak hours. “Unless traffic is physically regulated by personnel on the ground, chaos is inevitable at the junction,” a source observed.
Authorities had earlier proposed the construction of a slip road at the entrance to the subway to facilitate the movement of vehicles heading towards Colva and the Old Market area. However, the proposal has remained on paper, with no visible progress towards its implementation.
Old bus stand underutilised
Meanwhile, the Old Margao Bus Stand, which officials believe could serve as an effective pick-up and drop-off point for schoolchildren, continues to remain underutilised.
Traffic and law enforcement officials have long maintained that the facility could significantly reduce congestion on surrounding roads if systematically used by parents dropping off and collecting their wards from nearby schools.
However, the bus stand continues to be occupied by fast-food kiosks and mobile food stalls, limiting the availability of space for traffic management purposes.
According to sources, municipal regulations require kiosk owners to tow their units back to their residences after business hours. Yet many of these structures remain stationed at the bus stand round the clock, effectively turning a temporary arrangement into a permanent occupation.
The continued presence of the kiosks has raised questions about the enforcement of municipal regulations. Critics argue that neither the Margao Municipal Council nor the concerned authorities have taken concrete steps to ensure compliance with licensing conditions.
Residents believe that reclaiming space at the old bus stand and developing it as a dedicated school pick-up and drop-off zone could offer immediate relief to the city's growing traffic problems as a temporary measure until a parking lot is built at the sprawling bus stand.
