the goan I network
MARGAO
Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vijai Sardesai's deadline to the PWD, National Highways, to repair the Margao flyover has expired a month ago, even as another rubber packing on the road over bridge gave way for want of upkeep and maintenance.
During his first visit to the Margao Municipal Council as part of his Janata Darbar, the TCP Minster had assured Madgavkars that the Margao flyover will be repaired after closing the bridge for a day after the feast of Our Lady of Rosary on November 18 last. Sadly, the deadline issued to the PWD, NH-17 officials to take up the repairs and maintenance of the flyover has gone abegging, with the flyover craving for attention till date.
That's not all. Sunday saw yet another rubber packing giving way, indicating that the promised repairs and maintenance of the flyover has not taken place till date. Former Margao Municipal Council chairperson, Savio Coutinho, who stays at Navelim, informed that yet another rubber packing has given way on the flyover for want of maintenance. He has demanded to know the fate of the promise made by the TCP Minister after the PWD officials had assured at the public darbar that the NH will approach the District Collector, South, for the closure of the flyover for a day to take up repairs.
While the PWD officials may take the stand that steel rods protruding from the surface of the flyover do not pose any danger to the structure, motorists have been complaining over the last several months claiming that the wide gaps created on the structure due to the worn out rubber packings have been causing damage to their vehicles.
Incidentally, while the TCP Minister's fiat to the NH-17 to repair the flyover after November 18 has gone abegging, the initiative taken by the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Margao, to fix responsibility on the various officials and ensure that the authorities take up the work of repairs and maintenance of at the earliest has failed to evoke the desired result till date.
