MARGAO
The fate of the traffic plan mooted to ease traffic congestion in the heart of the commercial capital remains unknown. A high-level meeting of officials chaired by Additional Collector Srinet Kothwale had set June 25 as the deadline for the traffic department to prepare a traffic plan to ease congestion during school peak hours.
Leave alone the traffic plan, a stinking environment prevails at the old bus stand adjoining the roads used by the young children to head to their respective schools.
All that the authorities have put in place at the old bus stand is the repair of the roadside drainage, making additional space for two-wheelers along the roadside. Apart from the drain repair, the ground reality, however, has not changed for the better.
The fast food handcarts operating at the bus stand are all found stationary at the stand when they were supposed to be towed away to the place of residence of the owners after business hours. In fact, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat as well as Traffic DySP Prabodh Shirwaikar had informed that the fast food kiosks would not be seen at the old bus stand in the morning and afternoon sessions since they are mandated to do business at the stand as per the Margao Municipal licence conditions only in the evenings.
Sadly, most of the fast food handcarts and kiosks are left behind at the old bus stand by the owners, raising questions about the seriousness on the part of the powers that be and the officials to crack a whip against the illegal activities.
That’s not all. The area where the fast food kiosks operate on the old bus stand has virtually turned into an eyesore and a health hazard for want of cleanliness and hygiene. A parent who comes to the old bus stand to drop his ward at the school next door wondered why the bus stand is not cleaned up every night after the business hours of the fast food kiosks.
