PANAJI
As the curtains rise on the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Wednesday and the Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier on Thursday, visitors arriving in the State will experience dusty streets, bumpy rides and incomplete road infrastructure in Panaji and Ribandar (towards Old Goa).
The Ribandar-Old Goa stretch, a traditional route for pilgrims heading to the Church, remains far from cent per cent ready despite the November 17 deadline set by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The Chief Minister, about a fortnight ago, had also assured that Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) would tar the roads from Ribandar to Old Goa within eight days. The current situation however explains it all.
Only one stretch has been partially resurfaced whereas the other parts of the roads are covered with loose gravel and uneven surfaces. It has left commuters and ferry users grappling with dust conditions and risky travel.
Adding to the chaos, the road from Ribandar Chapel towards Ram Mandir in Chimbel has been closed for the past few days due to excavations for sewage chambers. The IPSCDL has remained tight-lipped on the completion of the project even as IFFI and the decennial Exposition have arrived.
Meanwhile, the government has arranged e-buses from the Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) for the Exposition with special buses to ferry passengers from Panaji to Old Goa via Ribandar. Several other routes and diversions have also been planned. The stretch of road between Old Goa Church junction to Gandhi Circle will be closed for all types of vehicles except emergency vehicles like Police, Ambulance and Fire Brigade. The ring round road connecting Old Goa Church junction to St Catherine Chapel to Arch of Conception to Petrol Pump to Old Goa Police Station to the residence of ex-MLA Pandurang Madkaikar to Old Goa Church junction will be one-way.
