MARGAO
With domestic tourists started arriving at the world famous iconic Colva beach and the government further opening up the tourism sector ahead of the tourism season, Colvenkars have a question or two for the powers that be “ when will the authorities restore the roads excavated for laying of the underground sewage line?
Tourism stakeholders and the villagers alike have been anxiously waiting for the restoration of the roads dug up for the sewerage line, but in vain. In fact, the condition of the road, especially from the Colva circle heading to the beach, has only deteriorated further during the monsoons.
While the authorities maintained that the soft nature of the soil have only made matters worse, with the road settling down, local villagers want the road to be restored at least before the traditional Fama of Menino Jesus at the Our Lady of Merces Church, Colva on October 18.
Tuesday saw the contractor deploying a JCB machine to dump mud on the road surface near the Colva circle, drawing sharp criticism from the locals. “Will dumping of mud on the excavated portion of the road help restore the road or is the soling of the road by rubble stones is an answer to the issue,” wondered Joe, a resident.
He added: “Local residents thought the heavy machinery is deployed to do soling of the road, but we were shocked to find that only mud was being dumped on the dug up road. Will this short term measure bring relief to the villagers and visitors to the beach? The Fama of Lord Jesus is fast approaching. Can the authorities assure that this temporary measure will make the road motorable and prevent accidents,” he added.
He also questioned how the authorities had issued permission for road digging during monsoons when there’s a ban on road excavations during rains. “Colvenkars eke a living on the tourism business. The tourists have started coming after last year’s bad season. The condition of the road may drive the tourists to other places,” he said.
Roque Fernandes echoed similar sentiments. He said the local youth earn a livelihood on tourism business as people from all over visit the iconic beach. “Do you think people will come to Colva going by the condition of the road? When business is slowly picking up after a bad season, we do not want the roads to come in the way of tourists’ arrivals to Colva,” he added.
The road condition had figured at the gram sabha of the Colva Panchayat held last Sunday, when members called for the restoration of the excavated road on top priority. Members had pointed out that the badly damaged road has resulted in accidents along the stretch and called for the early restoration.
