MAPUSA
On September 30, Goa was supposed to see smoother rides on its roads.
The newly appointed Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Digambar Kamat had promised that potholes would be patched up and the State’s worst roads repaired by then.
But as the date slipped by, nothing much changed on the ground.
If anything, the condition of the roads seems worse, leaving commuters frustrated and officials pointing to the skies for answers.
The retreating monsoon has been the convenient villain in the story.
“We are aware all roads are in a mess. But we can’t help it because the contractors could not take up the work due to the sudden increase in rainfall activity,” admitted a senior PWD engineer, requesting anonymity.
The official also shifted part of the blame onto departments that dug up roads to lay underground utilities, further weakening the surfaces.
For road users, however, these explanations ring hollow.
Only two days ago, an ambulance ferrying a patient overturned at Socorro, Porvorim, while dodging potholes on a service road “ a chilling reminder of how dangerous Goa’s roads have become.
“Horrible is an understatement. Driving feels like riding a motocross track,” said Santan Fernandes, a daily commuter from Candolim.
Some of the worst stretches, locals point out, include the service roads along the NH-66 corridor, Saligao junction to Pilerne industrial estate and several patches in different areas in the State.
“The government has failed to give us good roads. They are only taxing us, probably to compensate for the recent GST reduction,” said Benedict D’Souza, former sarpanch of Parra, echoing the exasperation of many citizens.
Meanwhile, another promise “ that of restarting the State’s hotmix plants by September-end “ has also gone unfulfilled.
According to PWD officials, the machines need recalibration before they can be restarted and the rains delayed the process.
“They were supposed to start last week but couldn’t. Hopefully, they will start soon, as many works are pending, including preparations for the Formula 4 race in Mormugao on November 1“2,” the senior engineer explained.
As Goa heads into October, citizens remain sceptical of new deadlines.
For them, it’s not about races or events “ it’s about safety and the simple right to travel on roads that do not threaten their lives or vehicles.
