MAPUSA
Amid the pandemic, the pathetic condition of roads is adding to the woes of residents in Bardez.
The main Siolim-Marna thoroughfare is one of such several roads, which is not only in deplorable condition but also dangerous.
With the pouring rains the road has virtually turned into a nightmare for motorists using the six-odd kilometer long stretch.
Locals claim that the condition of the road was actually bad before the monsoons and now it has become worse following which they have to endure a nightmarish experience while using the road.
“This is a problem which we have to encounter every year. The condition of the road is so pathetic that it is almost un-motorable. Why cannot the authorities come up with a permanent solution?” asked Milton Fernandes, a resident of Siolim.
Incidentally, the concerned authorities have failed to repair the road and the residents of Siolim-Marna have been forced to traverse on the difficult stretch for the third consecutive monsoon.
The road was dug up by the water resource department in the summer of 2019 and left incomplete when the monsoon set in that year. The road was dug up to lay a new water pipeline to the village.
In 2020, the Covid pandemic struck, giving the authorities another excuse to delay the repair of the road.
The concerned contractor finally carried out patch up work on the road but executed a very bad job leaving the road in dilapidated condition.
The local panchayat ward member, William Fernandes informed that he had been regularly following up with the PWD engineers to get the road repaired but to no avail.
“I have been constantly in touch with the PWD officials to repair the road for the last two years. This year the junior engineer promised to at least put one layer of hotmix on the stretch but has failed to do so,” Fernandes said.
“Now, in the monsoon, we understand the road work cannot be taken up. But at least they can carry out patch up work when weather permits,” he added.
The Sarpanch of Siolim-Marna, Sharmila Vernekar admitted that the road was in very bad shape and several people have met with accidents along the stretch.
“Almost two months back the PWD had assured us of repairing the road on top priority. They have failed to do so. We appeal to them to at least fill up the potholes so that precious lives are saved. Commuters have suffered fractures after falling off their two-wheelers due to the bad road,” Vernekar said.
