PANAJI
The ghost of messy roads, which were temporarily plastered before the monsoons after the excavations for the smart city projects, has returned to haunt residents and commuters in the capital city.
Multiple streets of the capital city are again heavily pot-holed and motorists are hard pressed to negotiate them with many of the crater-like depressions covered with water due to the rains in the last couple of days.
The busy St Inez area, especially the road from the Taj Vivanta junction to Caculo mall, besides the road leading to Taleigao alongside the government quarters and the crematorium are most affected as the authorities have excavated these roads again to recommence the incomplete sewerage works.
Also, the freshly re-tarred roads in the market area alongside the Geeta Bakery, Panaji Police Station and the CCP market have developed potholes at multiple locations.
The only city roads that have remained unaffected are the Dayanand Bandodkar Road alongside the Mandovi river which the government had re-tarred before the series of G-20 meetings Goa hosted.
Other interior areas including the road from the city leading to Taleigao, particularly in front of the Shankar temple and leading to the Taleigao market, the TB hospital to Bhatulem road, and the arterial roads of the Mala-Fontainhas area too have developed pot holes at multiple locales.
Residents and commuters driving in and out of the capital city have had harrowing experiences since October last year when roads were excavated to execute Smart City projects. In June this year, these works were abruptly abandoned and the roads re-tarred hurriedly.
Some of these Smart City works have now been re-started since August and residents are upset since there has been no communication either from the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited or from the Corporation of the City of Panaji as to the alternative traffic arrangements or how long the work will take to complete.
