MAPUSA
Weeks after PWD Minister Digambar Kamat publicly directed his engineers to fix Goa’s crumbling road network, little has changed on the ground. For motorists and pedestrians, the nightmare continues – potholes, shoddy patchwork and unsafe flyovers are turning everyday travel into a gamble with life and limb.
In Calangute’s Gaura Waddo, a gaping pothole opposite the DIY store has become a death trap.
“This crater has been here for months. At night, it’s almost invisible, and two-wheeler riders are the worst hit. Vehicles trying to dodge it come dangerously close to oncoming traffic,” said T Fernandes, a Candolim resident.
He added that the problem persists despite repeated patch-ups by authorities, which have only made the road more treacherous.
The spot is no ordinary village lane – it’s the main access to Calangute’s famous Holiday Street, frequented by thousands of tourists.
Yet, commuters say the government’s “seasonal” approach to repairs – temporary fixes before the monsoons – ensures that the same potholes reappear year after year.
For Siolim resident Gregory D’Souza, the larger issue is one of accountability.
“How can a safe driver be expected to navigate roads that are designed to fail? Shouldn’t citizens start filing complaints against PWD engineers in consumer courts?” he asked.
D’Souza warned that poor planning of bridges and flyovers, faulty drainage systems, and collapsing footpaths have created a cocktail of hazards.
“A few minutes of rain and you have waterlogging, water spilling onto windscreens, and a recipe for disaster,” he said.
Citizens also slammed the PWD’s much-hyped “jet patcher” technology, calling it nothing more than a money-guzzling gimmick.
“The patches vanish with the first rainfall. Public funds are being wasted, while contractors walk away unscathed,” said a commuter, demanding blacklisting and heavy fines for failed contractors.
What emerges is a disturbing pattern: cosmetic repairs, lack of technical expertise and zero accountability.
The minister’s instructions may sound strong on paper, but on Goa’s streets, commuters are still navigating death traps.
Until PWD officials, engineers and contractors are held accountable – not just warned – the State’s roads will remain symbols of negligence, threatening both locals and tourists while denting Goa’s image as a world-class destination.
