MAPUSA
The suspension of road-widening activities along the contentious Siolim-Marna stretch has escalated safety concerns for pedestrians and motorists, as the thoroughfare now presents a hazardous landscape marked by uneven terrain.
Irresponsible tree felling, coupled with incomplete work, has transformed an almost 1 km of the road stretch into a hazardous obstacle course.
Pedestrians and motorists alike have been left to navigate through uneven patches of road, dangerous pits and obstructive debris, making night-time travel particularly treacherous.
The removal of a tree has resulted in a substantial pit along a particular section of the stretch, left inadequately levelled, thereby posing a significant safety hazard to passersby.
Gregory D'Souza, a concerned resident of Siolim, highlighted the lack of safety measures at the site, emphasizing the perilous conditions exacerbated by the absence of proper lighting and barricades, especially near the HDFC bank.
“There are no barricades placed at the site as the place plunges into darkness at night,” D’Souza said.
“The public interest litigation filed in court regarding the tree cutting serves as a stark warning against the misuse of power, emphasising the consequences of neglectful public works that impose hardships on citizens,” he added.
The project, aimed at widening the crucial artery, now coming under the lens of the High Court for failing to follow mandatory procedures, has faced severe criticism for its irresponsible handling of tree felling and the subsequent safety hazards.
Local residents, including Reshma Pednekar and Agnel Noronha, voiced their frustration over the negligence displayed by those involved in the project. Pednekar lamented the 1 km stretch of chaos, describing the ordeal of maneuvering through the hazardous terrain.
“With the work coming to a halt, people are forced to skip and jump across hurdles on the stretch,” she said.
Meanwhile, Noronha also condemned the alleged illegal road-widening activities and emphasised the dangers posed by the uneven road surfaces, particularly at night.
“With the High Court stopping the work, and rightly so, the residents have to face the brunt of someone else’s mistakes. The uneven stretch has become dangerous especially during the nights,” he said.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa had recently intervened in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by concerned locals, halting the indiscriminate tree felling and urging the government to take responsibility for the project.
While the government has distanced itself from the project, the court's stern observations regarding the reckless tree cutting have underscored the need for accountability in infrastructure development projects.
