MAPUSA
The Siolim-Marna Panchayat has found itself in an inconvenient position, as the PWD has asked it to remove three ‘gaddas' (shops) for obstructing smooth movement of
traffic at a crucial church
junction.
The PWD (roads) has recently written a letter to the local panchayat to remove the shops, which leads to constant traffic jams and chaos at the crucial junction near the St Anthony Church. The authorities have decided to widen the road from Siolim-Marna junction to Cunchelim.
Based on the PWD letter, the Siolim-Marna Panchayat has sent notices to the shop owners stressing the need to remove the shops, as part of road widening plan and to ease traffic congestion at the junction.
The owners have agreed to shift the shops provided the panchayat rehabilitates them.
"We are managing a living and taking care of our families from business carried out in the shops for over 20 years. If we are displaced, where will we go? We are ready to move out provided the panchayat allots us some alternative place," one owner said.
Another shop owner reminded that in a similar attempt some years back, they had move court and the court had ordered to remove the shops provided the shop owners were rehabilitated.
The panchayat, however, has made it clear that the local body does not have any space in the village to rehabilitate them. "We are ready to provide a movable cart to each of them but we don't have any spare land to allot to them," said Panch Sylvester Fernandes.
He said the panchayat was finding it difficult to locate land to sort out its own garbage and rehabilitating the shop owners was impossible.
The PWD has drawn up a plan and submitted an estimate to widen the 7-km road from Siolim-Marna junction to Cunchelim.
"An estimate of Rs 4 crore to widen the road from St Anthony Church, Siolim, to Cunchelim has been submitted to the technical section. Once we get the administrative approval, we will begin work on the road," said Shyamsunder Hadfadkar, Assistant Engineer for PWD (roads).
Traffic jams have been the order of the day at the crucial junction near St Anthony Church. The stretch has become a busy road, as tourist vehicles use the road to move to Anjuna and Morjim beaches.
The Siolim-Marna Panchayat has found itself in an inconvenient position, as the PWD has asked it to remove three ‘gaddas' (shops) for obstructing smooth movement of
traffic at a crucial church
junction.
The PWD (roads) has recently written a letter to the local panchayat to remove the shops, which leads to constant traffic jams and chaos at the crucial junction near the St Anthony Church. The authorities have decided to widen the road from Siolim-Marna junction to Cunchelim.
Based on the PWD letter, the Siolim-Marna Panchayat has sent notices to the shop owners stressing the need to remove the shops, as part of road widening plan and to ease traffic congestion at the junction.
The owners have agreed to shift the shops provided the panchayat rehabilitates them.
"We are managing a living and taking care of our families from business carried out in the shops for over 20 years. If we are displaced, where will we go? We are ready to move out provided the panchayat allots us some alternative place," one owner said.
Another shop owner reminded that in a similar attempt some years back, they had move court and the court had ordered to remove the shops provided the shop owners were rehabilitated.
The panchayat, however, has made it clear that the local body does not have any space in the village to rehabilitate them. "We are ready to provide a movable cart to each of them but we don't have any spare land to allot to them," said Panch Sylvester Fernandes.
He said the panchayat was finding it difficult to locate land to sort out its own garbage and rehabilitating the shop owners was impossible.
The PWD has drawn up a plan and submitted an estimate to widen the 7-km road from Siolim-Marna junction to Cunchelim.
"An estimate of Rs 4 crore to widen the road from St Anthony Church, Siolim, to Cunchelim has been submitted to the technical section. Once we get the administrative approval, we will begin work on the road," said Shyamsunder Hadfadkar, Assistant Engineer for PWD (roads).
Traffic jams have been the order of the day at the crucial junction near St Anthony Church. The stretch has become a busy road, as tourist vehicles use the road to move to Anjuna and Morjim beaches.
