MARGAO
Cries of early construction of a flyover at the Comba railway crossing and traffic regulation in the city around the educational institutions were heard loud and clear from parents as well as general motorists as traffic in the heart of the commercial capital went haywire on Wednesday during school peak hours.
As incessant and heavy rains saw increased number of vehicles on the roads, with parents dropping their wards to schools in private cars, coupled with the perennial snarls near the Comba railway crossing, left traffic choc-a-block in the city on Wednesday noon
Traffic cops had a torrid time to clear the traffic snarls near the Margao police station junction as well as near the railway crossing and the adjoining Comba subway. Aggravating the situation at the Comba railway crossing was the presence of a goods trailer which accidentally entered the ring road while heading to the Cuncolim Industrial estate.
Parents stranded around the Comba railway crossing-Subway stretch of the road were heard demanding the construction of the flyover at the site to ease the traffic congestion, as they bitterly complained of lack of alternate mode of traffic at the railway crossing.
A parent was overheard saying that the Comba sub way has outlived its utility and it is high time the government build a flyover over the railway crossing as a permanent solution to the traffic mess.
As movement of the vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt after the level crossing was closed for a train to pass, students and other pedestrians were seen squeezing through the rush on the road stretch near the crossing.
Making matters worse for the pedestrians was the fact that the road side drain running parallel to the track right opposite the crossing is open and not covered with slabs, exposing the students to the risk of falling into the gutter.
That the road stretch along the railway crossing is prone to traffic congestion during school peak hours and when the crossing is closed for vehicular traffic has not spurred the district Collector, South and the PWD to clear the illegal encroachments and gaddas from the site despite the PWD issuing removal notices last year.
“The illegal encroachments might have stayed put because of political patronage, but why should the students and the general public suffer because of the encroachments,” wondered a parent, who demanded to know whether the district Collector or the PWD will step in only when citizens knock the doors of the judiciary for justice.
