the goan I network
MARGAO
Agitated residents of Orlim gheroed PWD officials on Wednesday for their apathy in tarring and hot mixing the Orlim church road for five years for reasons best known to the authorities.
The residents led by Arvind Martins explained to the Executive Engineer Agnelo Barros the hardships and inconveniences faced by the local residents of Candelim-Demonaik ward over the delay in hot-mixing of the road.
After giving the residents a patient hearing, the EE told the delegation that since he has assumed charge of office only a days ago, he promised to inspect the road on Wednesday itself for a firsthand experience of the road condition.
Martins later told the media that the residents have been running from pillar to post since the last five years to get the 1100 meter length road hot mixed, but in vain. “The authorities had started work on the hot-mixing in 2016 before some residents caused obstruction by moving the court. Though the court had later vacated the stay, the PWD has not completed the balance 10 per cent of the work for reasons best known to the authorities,” Martins lamented.
He said the road has developed major potholes and the tar is totally worn out, adding that several accidents have been reported on the road.
“When the court had vacated the stay, the PWD had assured the villagers that resurfacing of the road will be completed by December month. However, when we questioned them in January since the ground reality remained unchanged, the PWD officials cited fund constraint as the reason behind the delay,” Martins said
He demanded to know how the PWD can say there are no funds when Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao had told the media that Chief Minister has given Rs 25 crore for road development in Benaulim.
