the goan I network
VASCO
With the traffic diversion plan involving an 18-km detour for Panaji-Margao traffic via airport and Chicalim expected to cause huge delays and hardships to thousands of motorists and commuters each day, shorter and more effective routes are now being suggested to reduce the distance and time of the traffic diversion.
The present traffic diversion planned involves a route passing through the Cortalim Junction, Chicalim Junction, Airport Junction and Verna Junction, an additional distance of 18 kms.
However, authorities can cut short this long detour by nearly half the distance by considering two internal roads along either side of the 3.5 km stretch of the highway to be closed and restricting them to only for two-wheelers, cars and smaller KTC shuttle buses.
The first route passes through the Cortalim Junction, Shantadurga Temple, St Joseph Vaz Sanctuary, Sancoale Church, Airport highway and Verna, a distance of 9.4 kms.
The second route passes through Sharayu Toyota showroom, Quelossim, Cortalim ferry boat point and Cortalim Junction, a distance of 7.2 kms.
However, since these two internal roads are narrow, authorities must ensure only one-way traffic for two-wheelers and cars, whereby one internal road may be considered for Panaji-bound traffic, while the other internal road may be considered for Margao-bound traffic.
For commuters travelling on KTC buses, the larger buses can be asked to drop passengers at one end in Kesarval and at the other end in Cortalim or Agassaim. Smaller shuttle KTC buses can then be made to ply passengers along the two narrow internal roads as part of the one-way traffic arrangements.
Another suggestion, as proposed by Sancoale Sarpanch Girish Pillai, is to get the contractor to undertake bridge flyover work throughout the night and to allow traffic to use the highway during the day.
“They can open the stretch between Cortalim Circle and Sharayu Toyota Showroom road in the morning and close it after 8 pm,” suggested Pillai.
