MARGAO
After a spate of accidents on the unmotorable road, the PWD has finally repaired the road with a coat of hot mix near the Navelim traffic junction, where the NH 66 meets the Western bypass road, ensuring a smooth ride for the motorists. Politicians, however, rushed to claim credit for the road development, blaming each other for claiming credit for the work.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP from Bengal, Luizinho Faleiro, was the first to descend at the site along with Navelim ZP panchayat member, Cipru Cardozo and the bypass contractor. Work commenced on the road after it was blessed by Fr Gabriel Coutinho, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Rosary Church, Navelim.
The former Navelim MLA interacted with the bypass contractor to find out whether the PWD has accepted his four-point demand to build service road, put signages and rumblers on the new road. Faleiro said though he had raised the issue of a flyover at the site, the same has not taken shape till date.
No sooner Faleiro left from the spot, Aam Aadmi Party leader Pratima Coutinho made her presence felt before the media. She slammed the ex-Navelim MLA for what she termed as his failure to get the road repaired immediately. “Faleiro has come to claim credit. He has not done anything here. It was the AAP and villagers, including George Barretto who had taken up the matter with the government and the PWD to get the road repaired,” she said.
Pratima added: “We have no objection to the Parish Priest blessing the work. But, Faleiro has no right to claim credit.”
George Barretto and member of United Goans Foundation Dominic Noronha, echoed similar sentiments. They duo said they had taken up the matter and other authorities since the damaged condition of the road had claimed the lives of motorists.
Dominic recalled how the NGO, United Goans Foundation had petitioned the South Goa district Collector, Ruchika Katyal, IAS seeking her intervention to prevent further accidents on the damaged road junction.
