the goan I network
MARGAO
With the village playing host to a 7,500 strong student population coupled with the fact that the NH-17 passes right through the village, bringing all inter-state traffic in the village, resulting in traffic snarls, urbanised Navelim is mulling a master traffic management plan with the help of experts in a bid to stop the traffic chaos witnessed on the village roads.
That the traffic chaos has reached alarming situation is evident by the resolution adopted by the village gram sabha to cap the number of educational institutions or expansion plans of the existing institutions.
Thursday saw the stakeholders, including the local panchayat body, heads of the educational institutions, Traffic police, Collectorate officials, citizens and local MLA Luizinho Faleiro deliberating on the traffic situation before resolving to put a master traffic management plan in place at the earliest.
With a student population pegged at around 7,500 students in college, higher secondary, secondary and primary schools in a radius of 300 metres, it has been decided to stagger the school timings of the educational institutions to ease the situation as a temporary measure. “I am happy to announce that the educational institutions have agreed to stagger their school timings and help mitigate the problem,” Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro told the media after the meeting.
He said the representatives of the educational institutions have been requested to submit their parking plan in their respective complexes. “We want to put the parking in place within these institutions, with first priority for parking for cycles, followed by two-wheelers. We have made a plea to the parents to discourage their wards from coming to the institutions in their private vehicles. We will study the parking plan of each institution for a week before demarcating the parking slots,” Faleiro added.
The Navelim MLA, however, made it clear that while devising ways and means to regulate traffic flow, no compromise will be made on the safety and security of the school children.
It was also decided to sensitise the parents on the traffic issues since they form an integral part of any solution.
