MAPUSA
A hesitant PWD Minister, Nilesh Cabral on Saturday apologised for the pothole-ridden roads across Goa and vowed to streamline the public works department to make it more public oriented.
Cabral also assured that public money will not be wasted and contractors will be directed to rework on all potholes that have developed on roads.
“Some MLAs have said sorry for the bad roads. I don’t know whether I have to be sorry…But if it requires I will say sorry not because of my fault but because of the fault of the contactor. We will streamline the department. I have taken over the department just two-and-half months ago. Give me some time. I know my capability,” Cabral said.
The PWD Minister sympathized with his colleague, Revenue Minister Anatasio (Babush) Monserrate in asking for a vigilance inquiry on newly laid roads getting washed out in his constituency.
“I have already begun inquiry over the eruption of potholes before Monserrate could demand. We need to find the reason for the potholes,” he said, assuring to streamline the public works department (PWD) and take necessary action.
He also blamed various government departments including the PWD for digging the roads and failing to restore them on time.
“As a government we will have to see all this and find a solution to this problem,” he said.
He further said that not all roads were bad and it’s not as though all roads were full of potholes in the State.
“We will work out a mechanism so that public money is not wasted because the contractor will have to do it again at his own cost. But it (potholes) should not happen. So we will take care,” he said.
Cabral informed that PWD was trying a new technology to repair the potholes and depending on its success the government would take a decision in the matter.
“A machine is on its way. It’s a new technology which we are trying on Goan roads. We are not buying the machine. It will be monitored on an “app”. Initially, only the department engineers will use the app. A pothole will be photographed and downloaded on the app which is connected to the vendor who owns the machine. He will then go to the spot and repair the pothole. They are giving 18 months guarantee. Let us try,” he said.
