PANAJI
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday raised the issue of Goa’s dangerously damaged roads through coordinated protests and site visits by its leaders across North Goa, including Parcem, Zhor-Vaddo, Anjuna and Durgawadi, Taleigao.
In a statement, AAP leaders slammed the BJP government for its continued failure to repair the roads, despite Chief Minister Pramod Sawant having publicly assured several weeks ago that the work would be completed in 15 days.
“This government’s apathy has already claimed multiple lives and blemished Goa’s image as a world tourist destination,” the statement said.
At the Zhor-Vaddo protest site in Anjuna, local AAP leader Pujan Malvankar said that the BJP government does not care for the lives lost on the roads.
“It’s been a month since several people have died because of bad roads. Even an ambulance turned turtle at Porvorim due to potholes. Anjuna is a global tourist destination, but these unrepaired roads are damaging its image,” Malvankar said.
The missed deadline set by the Chief Minister shows that his administration lacks seriousness and is fully engaged only in organising publicity events while Goans suffer, he added.
At the Parcem protest site, AAP’s Mandrem block president Suvarna Harmalkar criticised the government’s misplaced priorities, saying that instead of repairing damaged roads, the government is busy demolishing Goans’ homes to widen them.
“Even after over one lakh Goans appealed for better roads through AAP’s #BJPCheBurak campaign, the government has failed to fix them and has only resorted to cosmetic patch-up work,” Harmalkar said.
The AAP leaders demanded that the BJP government immediately release a district-wise status report on road repairs, as promised by Sawant when he publicly assured completion within 15 days. The party also demanded that road repair contractors be held accountable for the shoddy work done before the monsoon.
