The footpath that abruptly ends into a deep drain posing serious risk to pedestrians. Captured by : Agnelo Pereira
MAPUSA
A recently inaugurated footpath along the main road in Mapusa dangerously leads into an open two feet deep drain posing serious risk to pedestrians as work of around three metre stretch has been left incomplete.
The footpath, which is constructed over the storm water drain, starts from the Mapusa municipality and after covering a short distance of 10 metres makes an abrupt end. The footpath restarts leaving a gap of around three metres and runs its full length of around 600 metres right up to Duler ground.
The gap that has been left open is around two feet deep drain which could be life-threatening to an unsuspecting pedestrian using the footpath, particularly in the night.
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza along with Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson Priya Mishal and the PWD engineers on Tuesday inaugurated the footpath with much fanfare.
“It’s a short distance but it could be life threatening if someone unknowingly falls in the drain. If the PWD could not complete the footpath for some reasons then it should have at least covered the drain. This is highly irresponsible on the part of the department,” said a local resident from the vicinity.
He also wondered what was the hurry to inaugurate an incomplete work.
Local councillor Shashank Narvekar informed that the estimate for the work was to cover the drains and installing pavers on the footpath. “The PWD should have completed the entire work before throwing it open to the public. This particular open drain could be of grave risk to pedestrians using the footpath,” Narvekar said.
According to PWD (roads) Assistant Engineer Mahesh Shetty, the work on the stretch got held up due to non-cooperation of the residential owner.
“We wanted to cut open the side stretch and construct a retaining wall to keep the continuity of the footpath. Now, we have no option but to cover only the drain,” Shetty said.
The work to construct the footpath of around 620 metres length from the municipality right upto the Duler ground was taken up in August last year.
The project was on account of a PIL filed by the Goa Foundation demanding such footpaths as part of the fundamental rights of citizens.
Footpath work on other side of road tendered
MAPUSA: PWD Assistant Engineer Mahesh Shetty informed that the footpath on the other side of the road has also been tendered and work on the same will be taken up soon.
The work has been tendered for around Rs 1.5 crore and will cover the same distance of around 620 metres as has been presently done.
The Mapusa Municipal Council has also decided to construct a footpath on both sides of the road from the court building right up to the North Goa District Hospital.
Sources informed that the civic body has prepared detailed estimates for the work.
