the goan I network
MARGAO
Will the South Goa District Road Safety Council take cognizance of the year-long delay by the PWD, National Highways, to install signboards of the revised speed limits along the highway notified around a year ago?
While the new speed limits from Polem to Patradevi and the Verna-Airport road were notified a year ago, the signboards are yet to come up along the highway for want of funds.
Attempts by the PWD, National Highway officials to rope in private players by offering advertising space on the signboards have also not found any takers till date.
Though a couple of advertising agencies has evinced interest in the scheme, the PWD is yet to strike a deal with any private player till date.
The result being while the new speed limits stand notified and have brought in changes to the speed limits on several stretches of the highway, the same has not found reflected on the ground for want of funds.
In fact, though the new speed limits stand notified for a year now, signboards with old speed limits continue to stand tall along the highway, leaving the traffic police and the motorists confused.
Inquiries by The Goan have revealed that funds to the tune of Rs 1.5 crore are required to install the signboards along the Polem-Cortalim stretch of the highway coming in the South Goa jurisdiction. Sources informed that the files pertaining to the sanction of funds for the installation of the new
signboards have been returned to the department by the higher authorities.
An official pointed out that it will cost around Rs 1.5 crore to install the signboards for the simple reason that the proposed signboards will be much bigger in size as the notification has specified three different speed limits for heavy vehicles, light vehicles and other vehicles.
“The department has proposed big size boards to accommodate the three different speed limits,” an official said, even as he preferred to keep his fingers crossed over obtaining the much-needed funds at the earliest.
