MARGAO
In an interesting development, the South Goa Road Safety Council has decided not to take fresh decision on road traffic and safety since many a previous decision adopted by the district panel has remained unimplemented for want of funds.
No further decision on the roundabouts at the Power House and the Nuvem traffic junction, especially the road leading to the bypass, could be taken since the previous decisions have remained confined to the papers due to funds.
The meeting also took note of the fact that buses continue to crawl on the roads and make unauthorized halts, leading to traffic congestions and accidents, with the District Collector Dr Tariq
Thomas suggesting to the RTO to suspend licenses of the erring buses at least for a day to instill discipline.
As members of the District Road Safety Council met in the District Collectorate to review the decisions taken at the previous meet held around three months ago, it has come to light that many a decision taken at the previous meeting pertaining to road widening, asphalting and erecting speed breakers and rumblers have not been implemented by the agencies due to paucity of funds.
Council member and Secretary Goacan Lorna Fernandes told the media after the meeting that the Collector Dr Thomas maintained there’s no point in taking any fresh decisions since most of the decisions taken by the body at the previous meet have not been implemented till date. “There were several decisions including widening of roads and asphalting that have not been implemented. Then the question of speed breakers also came to haunt the Council with many a proposal only confined to the papers,”
Lorna said.
She pointed out that since an AE in the PWD is in-charge of the maintenance of the speed breakers, the Collector has decided to seek a report from the engineer on the maintenance of the speed breakers and rumblers.
Convenor of Road Safety Forum, Dilip Naik, who is a member of the Council, said that a solution still eludes the issue of buses crawling on the roads and making unauthorized halts, adding “this situation has prompted the District Collector to suggest to the RTO to consider suspending license of the erring buses for a day.”
The District Collector has now decided to hold a special meeting of the District Road Safety Council after a meeting with the PWD to find out the progress of the decisions taken by the Council in the past.
