THE GOAN NETWORK
VASCO
Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar on Wednesday raised safety concerns over the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) gates near the Baina flyover.
Salkar put forth his concerns during a joint inspection at the Baina up and down ramps near the flyover, along with Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) officials, Mormugao Dy Collector Bhagwant Karmali, Mamlatdar Pranvijay Pandit, Vasco Police, Traffic Cell, municipal councillors, and local residents.
The inspection was held following persistent demands from locals to remove the compound wall and gates installed by the MPA in the area, which they claim have created blind spots and made the stretch accident-prone.
Speaking to the media after the inspection, MLA Krishna Salkar said the matter had been taken up at the highest levels, including with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
"We have carried out an inspection with the MPA officials and the government authorities to raise the issue of the compound wall and the gates," Salkar said.
"We had asked the MPA to remove the compound wall and gates or at least shift them a little inside because the wall creates a blind spot that can cause accidents. The area has become an accident-prone zone."
He said MPA had cited security concerns for installing the gates but noted that the safety of the public must come first.
"We questioned the necessity of these gates. The MPA argues that they are for security, and that they contributed to the construction of the flyover for cargo movement. But we tried to explain that the gates are not required for cargo traffic," Salkar said.
The MLA added that while the primary demand remains complete removal of the gates, alternative options were also being explored.
"Our intention is to have the gates removed. But if that is not possible, we are pushing them to at least move the gates backwards to avoid accidents and ensure the safety of motorists," he said.
Salkar also noted that MPA had earlier given a written assurance to the government that the gates would never be closed or locked for the public, except in emergency situations.
Local residents reiterated their concern that the existing structure was hazardous, especially during peak traffic hours, and called for urgent corrective action to prevent mishaps in the future.
