OLD GOA
Motorists and commuters can expect severe traffic jams at the old Panaji-Margao highway via Goa Velha during the Christmas week, with the contractor having missed the December 15 deadline to complete the construction of the highway.
The Goan had highlighted that the PWD EE, WD VII (NH) issued a public notice stating that the traffic would be diverted via Goa Velha (old NH) for facilitating the construction of highway work from October 27 to December 15.
Since then, traffic jams have become a daily affair all along Goa Velha to Agassaim, particularly during peak hours and weekends.
And the issue is unlikely to be resolved any time soon as a PWD official informed that due to practical difficulties faced, the contractor has still not been able to complete the work.
“Around 90 per cent of the work has been completed and the remaining work will take some more time to complete. How long it will take cannot be said. However, for sure it will be completed by December-end,” the official stated.
With construction work of NH66 bypass road at Goa Velha yet to be completed, traffic jams are going to be prolonged at the old highway road at Goa Velha.
The inordinate delay is also likely to heap more misery on motorists with the peak season of Christmas and New Year fast approaching, with tourists in thousands expected to throng the State and party their way into the New Year.
Diverting traffic at the old Panaji-Margao highway via Goa Velha has also put the locals of Goa Velha through a lot of inconveniences as they are not able to move around the village with ease due to the overwhelming traffic.
