MARGAO
Parking, traffic and road safety issues plaguing the commercial capital during school peak hours came to the fore as stakeholders, including various schools managements, Traffic police and the Margao Municipal Council (MMC), got down to understand and work out solutions to the perennial problems.
Ahead of the commencement of the new academic year, an interaction organised by the Margao road safety committee chaired by municipal chairperson Damu Shirodkar saw the traffic police seeking the cooperation of the school managements in handling the traffic and parking issues.
Representatives of city schools, on the other hand, sought to push the blame on the parents for aggravating the situation by insisting on dropping or picking up their wards right at the gate or right inside the complex.
Pedestrianisation of roads leading to the schools during peak school hours was suggested by GOACAN coordinator Roland Martins as a way to resolve the traffic and parking woes.
Traffic Cell in-charge, PI Gautam Salunke pointed out how parents come and occupy every inch of road space around the schools hours before the classes close for the day, contributing to the traffic and parking woes.
Haphazard parking
The shifting of the Presentation Convent High School to Ambaji was done with the avowed objective to decongest the Old market area of the city. After the commissioning of the South Goa District Hospital, the road leading to the Presentation Convent School from the main road is used for double parking of vehicles by those visiting the hospital, disrupting traffic heading to the school.
The presence of a couple of hotels and eateries at Borda just opposite the Multipurpose school complex has come up for discussion wherein it was pointed out that the haphazard parking outside the establishments has contributed to traffic snarls, even resulting in mishaps involving students.
Blockage of the Loyola school road for traffic has helped ease congestion during the morning and afternoon peak hours.
'Repair pavers'
The Principal of Loyola School Fr Basil made a fervent plea to the authorities to repair the pavers on the footpath leading to the school. Taking cognisance of Fr Basil’s complaint, MMC chairperson Damu Shirodkar has promised to depute the civic body mason to fix the issue.
Fr Basil pointed out that the school had resorted to staggered timings for different sections, which has paid dividends to ease congestion.
Shortage of staff
Traffic regulation by traffic personnel was called for by the representatives of the schools outside their educational institutions. Traffic PI Gautam Salunke, however, pointed out that the Margao Traffic cell is grossly understaffed and hence expressed his inability to deploy personnel.
As an alternate solution, PI Salunke underscored the need for the educational institutions to go in for the traffic warden and traffic patrol scheme, as he promised to impart training to the students as well as parents volunteering to man traffic near the institutions.
Roland Martins called upon school managements to prepare a geographical plan around the institution to tide over the parking and traffic issues. He said the traffic warden scheme and road safety patrol scheme if successfully implemented by the schools, can go a long way in overcoming the woes. He said basic things such as the installation of parking signages in and around the school will help bring orderly parking.
MMC support
MMC Chairperson Damu Shirodkar offered all-out support from the civic body to help ease traffic issues around the educational institutions.
“We have just made a beginning. Today, we have heard the representatives of the schools and their suggestions to improve the traffic, parking, and road safety will be given serious thought by the authorities,” he said.
The Shirodkar pointed out that based on the feedback received from the schools, the Traffic, MMC and RTO will try and work out solutions to the traffic and road safety issues plaguing the commercial capital during peak school hours.
A citizen Clive Gracias, who has assumed the role of a traffic warden at the Navelim traffic junction, explained how he was motivated to enrol himself after he found a chaotic situation at the junction.
