MARGAO
Is Salcete's lone Minister, Vijai Sardesai aware of the pathetic condition of the Nuvem bypass road, an important link on the Panaji-Margao stretch of the NH-17?
Or, for that matter Leader of the Opposition Babu Kavlekar or the host of MLAs from Salcete, who travel almost every day to Panaji? This is the common refrain of scores of motorists and daily commuters on the Margao-Panaji highway as the Nuvem bypass has been craving for attention from the government, more particularly the NH-17 officials.
r />Agitated residents of Nuvem had recently threatened to hit the streets and block the highway over the failure of the PWD authorities to step in at the bypass and stop the road from further deterioration.
Sources said the bad condition of the bypass at certain spots was brought to the notice of the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, but in vain. Senior NH-17 officials led by Executive Engineer Rajendra Kamat is aware of the dilapidated condition of the bypass, but action is not simply forthcoming from the PWD till date.
When The Goan called up Executive Engineer, Rajendra Kamat to shed light on the Nuvem bypass road condition and the delay by the PWD in attending to the problem, he simply said the PWD has discussed the issue with the Gujarat-based contractor, who had executed the road works. "We have asked the contractor, who is duty bound to undertake maintenance of the road after its construction. A team of PWD officials had discussions with the contractor, and the work repair work should commence immediately," Kamat said.
While the NH-17 has only given an assurance that repairs of the badly damaged bypass road would begin soon, there's no set time frame for the commencement of the work. Motorists question the authorities for its failure to take up soling of the damaged bypass on a regular basis.
Traffic heading to Panaji from Margao is compulsorily diverted on the Nuvem bypass by the traffic personnel manning the traffic junction at Nuvem junction. Traffic personnel in private say they have to bear the brunt of motorists on account of the damaged
bypass road.
Sources said the bad condition of the bypass at certain spots was brought to the notice of the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, but in vain. Senior NH-17 officials led by Executive Engineer Rajendra Kamat is aware of the dilapidated condition of the bypass, but action is not simply forthcoming from the PWD till date.
When The Goan called up Executive Engineer, Rajendra Kamat to shed light on the Nuvem bypass road condition and the delay by the PWD in attending to the problem, he simply said the PWD has discussed the issue with the Gujarat-based contractor, who had executed the road works. "We have asked the contractor, who is duty bound to undertake maintenance of the road after its construction. A team of PWD officials had discussions with the contractor, and the work repair work should commence immediately," Kamat said.
While the NH-17 has only given an assurance that repairs of the badly damaged bypass road would begin soon, there's no set time frame for the commencement of the work. Motorists question the authorities for its failure to take up soling of the damaged bypass on a regular basis.
Traffic heading to Panaji from Margao is compulsorily diverted on the Nuvem bypass by the traffic personnel manning the traffic junction at Nuvem junction. Traffic personnel in private say they have to bear the brunt of motorists on account of the damaged
bypass road.
