CANACONA
While bad roads continue to torment motorists and commuters in Canacona, Congress and Goa Forward Party leaders have petitioned newly elected MLA Ramesh Tawadkar to complete repairs and hotmixing of the damaged Canacona roads, including the highway.
Following threats of agitation by the Congress and Goa Forward leaders, the PWD (Highways) had started the road repair/patch works along the Gulem section and some parts of the Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass (MPCB) on March 1, but stopped the work after barely four days.
A joint delegation of the two parties submitted a memorandum to Tawadkar at his office in Ruby Residency on Friday.
GPCC General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari later told reporters that Tawadkar has assured to resume the repair and hotmixing of the NH66 from Canacona to Polem and Canacona to Margao before April 1.
“We informed the MLA that if works do not start before April 1, as assured to us, we have an alternate remedy at hand. The MLA informed us that he had already spoken on the PWD officials in this connection,” said Bhandari.
Accusing PWD officers of taking Canconcars for granted, Goa Forward leader Prashant Naik said: “The PWD began repairing the NH66 highway only after we had threatened an agitation.”
“The MPCB is a nightmare, while the highway via Partagal has remained in a bad condition, even though a work order is pending since last year.”
“Henceforth, we will not give memorandum or issue deadlines. PWD officers and the contractor are very irresponsible. Every time, the PWD says it is mobilising the contractor, but if they fail to start repair work within these 7 days, the people of Canacona will get mobilised for action,” warned Naik.
Others present in the delegation included Canacona Congress Block President Prahlay Bhagat, GFP Leader Vikas Bhagat, Shrishthal Sarpanch Ramu Naik and Poinguinim Panch Pravir Bhandari.
