MARGAO
When various agencies were busy gearing up for the national games in October last to tone up the infrastructure in and around the Nehru stadium, the Power department too was on the job to illuminate the stretch of the Margao ring road, from the Comba subway to the Old market road.
In fact, just before the games were to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the power department completed the work of installing the illumination poles along the entire stretch of the Comba stretch of the ring road, ringing in good news for the road users, including commuters and pedestrians alike.
In fact, hopes were raised that the ring road stretch, which was not covered with electricity poles when the road was thrown up for traffic, would be finally illuminated.
Sadly, while the poles and the lamps are in place, the ring road continues to remain in the dark for reasons best known to the Power department officials.
Even as motorists and pedestrians demand to know the delay in commissioning the illumination project till date, sources in the know has attributed the delay on the part of the department’s higher ups to clear the approvals.
It is reliably learnt that the contractor was told to execute the work on the illumination project after his bid had found favour with the department with the promise the department will get the necessary approvals. While the contractor has completed the project by installing the poles and the lamps, the sanction from the department higher-ups is yet to come till date, as a result of which the Comba-Old market ring road stretch has not been illuminated till date.
Local power officials informed that there have been follow up with the concerned officials, but the approvals for the illumination has not come till date.
In the meantime, motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders have pointed out that the Power department should give the clearances for the commissioning of the project, more so when the poles and lamps are already in place. “If there are any technical issues over the project, the department should expedite the matter at the earliest in the interest of the public. The public cannot be held to ransom for no fault of theirs”, remarked a two-wheeler rider.
