Siolim locals demand action against roadside stalls

THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
Voicing concern over the rise of makeshift stalls along the main Siolim road, the gram sabha on Sunday called for evacuation of such stalls to free the road for motorists.
A local, Amrut Agarwadekar informed that several people have set up temporary stalls on the side of the main road from St Anthony Church up to the theatre junction.
“Several stall owners peddling tender coconuts and sugarcane juice have set up shop by the roadside disturbing traffic movement along the road. Several accidents have also taken place on this stretch due to the disturbance created by these stall owners,” Agarwadekar said.
For the uninitiated, Siolim village is a crucial transit point for foreigners who move towards popular Anjuna and Morjim beach.
Several foreign tourists traverse via this road with the stretch always remaining chock-a-block with vehicles.
Locals urged the panchayat to immediately take action against the stall owners and dissuade them from doing business on the roadside.
“The panchayat’s verbal warning to stall owners has apparently not worked. Now, you need to take assistance of the police and remove them once and for all,” Agarwadekar persisted.
He, however, suggested that locals doing business by the roadside should be given an alternate place to set up shop.
A local, Fatima Fernandes informed that heavy vehicles were using the Housing Board (Mapusa) road to enter into Siolim thus inviting trouble for themselves and the other people using the main Siolim road.
“Many mini-buses have started using the road coming from Mapsua through Housing Board. The steep gradient of the road which meets the main road at Siolim is very risky for people traveling in these vehicles and also people traversing through the main road towards Siolim,” Fernandes said.
She said heavy vehicles should be banned from using the road and insisted that some measures be taken to dissuade these vehicles from using the road.
It may be recalled that several accidents, some even fatal, have taken place on that little stretch of the road.
Deputy Sarpanch Vignesh Chodankar assured to take appropriate steps to stop the heavy vehicles from using the road.
Fatima Fernandes also informed that several new constructions have encroached on traditional pathways and nullahs in the village.
Another local, Joaquim Barros demanded issuing fine against people who dump garbage at open spots in the village.
Panchayat Secretary Janice D’Costa placed the village panchayat’s budget for 2019-20 which was approved by the gram sabha after a brief discussion.
Sarpanch Fermina Fernandes chaired the gram sabha.