Barricades placed by the Traffic Police opposite DIET to prevent traffic moving from Porvorim to the Mapusa-Panaji highway. Captured by : Anil Shankhwalker
PORVORIM
In a bid to regulate traffic along the busy junction and accident-prone zone in front of the District Institute Of Education & Training (DIET) near the Mapusa“Panaji highway, the Traffic Police has placed a barricade opposite DIET and has converted the road for one-way traffic.
The Traffic Police decided on this strategy on a trial basis since Tuesday, after observing number of accidents along the junction.
Speaking to The Goan, Traffic Police Inspector Brandon D’Souza said all major educational and government institutions are located on eastern side of the Mapusa-Panaji highway.
“As a result, there is heavy movement of traffic and pedestrians along the narrow 5-metre wide road in front of the DIET,” said PI D’Souza.
“Roadside kiosks add to traffic congestion and vehicles parked near the kiosks further hinder traffic flow along the narrow road. There is a need to remove these kiosks and widen the road.”
“Secondly, a traffic signal is needed along this traffic junction. There was a traffic signal earlier installed at this junction, but it was later removed due to unknown reasons.”
PI D’Souza felt that when the Lekha Bhavan (department of accounts) is completed and offices are shifted into the Lekha Bhavan, traffic would further increase on the narrow road.
“A rise in traffic will lead to more mishaps if corrective steps are not taken right now. In order to study the traffic flow, we have place a barricade in front of DIET and have converted the road for one-way traffic.”
“Only vehicles coming from Mapusa will be allowed to use this road. Vehicles from Porvorim planning to join the Panaji-Mapusa highway can go via Teen Building junction or can use the Holy Family Church junction to proceed towards Saligao or Mapusa.”
“If this proves successful, we will recommend to the government to declare this DIET junction for one-way traffic,” said PI D’Souza.
