MAPUSA
The entry and exit points of the Porvorim elevated corridor could be reopened with restrictions, but the government is unlikely to immediately lift the ban on two-wheelers using the six-lane corridor.
An expert team from IIM-Nagpur, which inspected the corridor on Saturday, is expected to make a presentation on the proposed changes to the entry and exit arrangements on Monday, with the government set to take a call after examining the technical recommendations.
PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, however, said he was not aware whether the IIM team had already submitted any report recommending changes to the traffic arrangements. “Basically, the issue has to be technically studied by the IIM team. The IIM officials will give a presentation,” Kamat told The Goan.
Asked specifically whether the entry and exit points could be reopened, the PWD Minister indicated that the government would wait for the technical assessment before taking a decision. The Saturday inspection by the IIM-Nagpur team comes a week after the government imposed sweeping restrictions on the newly opened corridor following a fatal crash that claimed two lives. The restrictions included a ban on two-wheelers on the elevated corridor and closure of key access points near Hotel Neo Majestic and on the Guirim side. The government had said the measures were temporary and would be reviewed after studying traffic movement and safety conditions. On whether the two-wheeler ban would continue, Kamat said: “At least for the moment the two-wheeler ban is there.”
The minister said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had indicated that a meeting would be held with the IIM team, following which the recommendations would be discussed and a decision taken. The IIM team inspected the corridor on Saturday in the presence of senior PWD officials and examined traffic movement and safety arrangements, particularly the access points that were shut after the accident. The assessment is expected to focus on how the points can be reopened systematically without compromising road safety.
The government is also examining other measures to improve safety and traffic flow, including modifications to merging points, separation of service-road traffic from the main carriageway and stronger speed enforcement. Earlier, the PWD had indicated that traffic data on vehicle volumes, travel times, queue lengths, congestion and diversion patterns would be used to review the restrictions.
