CANACONA
Imagine the surprise of truck drivers when they began receiving medals and garlands at the foot of the Karmalghat in Canacona.
They were unaware that their felicitation was part of a novel half-day protest by the Canacona Youth Congress to highlight the State government’s inefficiency to take up road-widening works at the accident-prone Karmalghat section of the NH66 highway.
Canacona Youth Congress activists led by its president Vaishnav Pednekar stopped the driver of every passing heavy vehicle (trucks, tankers and containers) at the foot of Karmalghat on the Canacona side and felicitated them with a medal and garland.
The driver was congratulated for successfully manoeuvering and reaching down the treacherous/dangerous and accident-prone narrow Karmalghat slope without falling prey to a mishap.
The pleasantly-surprised drivers were then asked how it felt to be safely down the ghat section when many others drivers have been involved in mishaps.
A few drivers complained about the challenging drive along this stretch of NH66 and felt the government should take immediate measures to widen the road.
Later speaking to reporters, Youth Congress (South) General Secretary Cleston Viegas said the people of Canacona had been hearing about the 4-6 laning of the road for years now.
"It is immaterial for motorists if the existing road is widened into a 4-6 lane road or if a tunnel is constructed. The government needs to be aware of the frequency of mishaps along this treacherous stretch and should widen the road,” said Viegas.
“We are giving 15 days to the government to decide on steps to be taken by the government to stop mishaps along the Gulem-Padi section of the narrow NH66, otherwise let's rename Karmalghat to Moron-Ghat (Death Ghat),” Viegas added.
Asked to justify the unique protest, Canacona Youth Congress Block President Vaishnav Pednekar said: “Under the leadership of GPCC General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari, 17 different memorandums with 15 demands were made to various authorities of the government at the national, state and district levels, but till date, not a single demand has been met.”
“We also staged agitations, but government has not moved a bit. If this same situation continues, more accidents will take place and more people will be injured or killed.”
They were unaware that their felicitation was part of a novel half-day protest by the Canacona Youth Congress to highlight the State government’s inefficiency to take up road-widening works at the accident-prone Karmalghat section of the NH66 highway.
Canacona Youth Congress activists led by its president Vaishnav Pednekar stopped the driver of every passing heavy vehicle (trucks, tankers and containers) at the foot of Karmalghat on the Canacona side and felicitated them with a medal and garland.
The driver was congratulated for successfully manoeuvering and reaching down the treacherous/dangerous and accident-prone narrow Karmalghat slope without falling prey to a mishap.
The pleasantly-surprised drivers were then asked how it felt to be safely down the ghat section when many others drivers have been involved in mishaps.
A few drivers complained about the challenging drive along this stretch of NH66 and felt the government should take immediate measures to widen the road.
Later speaking to reporters, Youth Congress (South) General Secretary Cleston Viegas said the people of Canacona had been hearing about the 4-6 laning of the road for years now.
"It is immaterial for motorists if the existing road is widened into a 4-6 lane road or if a tunnel is constructed. The government needs to be aware of the frequency of mishaps along this treacherous stretch and should widen the road,” said Viegas.
“We are giving 15 days to the government to decide on steps to be taken by the government to stop mishaps along the Gulem-Padi section of the narrow NH66, otherwise let's rename Karmalghat to Moron-Ghat (Death Ghat),” Viegas added.
Asked to justify the unique protest, Canacona Youth Congress Block President Vaishnav Pednekar said: “Under the leadership of GPCC General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari, 17 different memorandums with 15 demands were made to various authorities of the government at the national, state and district levels, but till date, not a single demand has been met.”
“We also staged agitations, but government has not moved a bit. If this same situation continues, more accidents will take place and more people will be injured or killed.”
