MAPUSA
The Bastora panchayat has initiated steps to widen the road and construct a footpath near the key junction in order to facilitate smooth movement of traffic and ensure safety of pedestrians.
The panchayat has also issued earnest house numbers (EHN) to almost all the unauthorised shops at the junction which will generate revenue for the village panchayat. There are at least 16 unauthorised shops in the area which started off as small kiosks but gradually extended onto the road.
Bastora Sarpanch Subhash Morajkar along with Secretary Smitha Parab conducted an inspection of the shops and verbally told the owners that the extended portion of the shops will have to be demolished.
“We have a plan to widen the road to stop the traffic chaos taking place at the junction. The shop owners have accepted our proposal and have agreed to demolish the front extended portion,” Morajkar said. “As part of the beautification plan of the junction, we have already installed a divider. Now, we want to widen the area and construct a footpath for free movement of traffic,” he added.
The panchayat admits that most of the shops at the junction were unauthorised. The sarpanch informed the shop owners enjoyed electricity and other facilities but were not paying any tax to the panchayat. Now, the panchayat has issued earnest house numbers (EHN) to the shops and asked them to pay house tax.
Interestingly, while the village panchayat has recently erected no parking signboards in the area, motorists continue to park their vehicles in front of the shops oblivious of the signboards.
Recently, Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira along with the Deputy Collector, PWD engineers and other revenue officials also inspected the junction and decided to take several measures to mitigate the problems faced by motorists and pedestrians in the area. One of the plans was to construct a drain which would run in front of the shops. The PWD had also committed to repair the road which had deteriorated due to rains.
Chairman of Bastora’s village development committee, Savio Martins informed that since it was a major district road, the panchayat would wait until the Dussehra for the PWD to do the needful. He said if the PWD fails to patch up the road then the panchayat will take up the repair work.
“It should be a win-win situation for everyone. We want the road to be widened and a footpath in the area. Our aim is that the commuters should feel safe and the businessmen can also continue to do their business in the area,” said Martins, who is a former sarpanch of the village.
