PANAJI
Thursday was another day where commuters and residents alike got choked in chaotic traffic and more dust pollution with contractors of 'Smart City' projects in the capital city digging up more stretches of roads, completely shutting them for movement of traffic.
Three stretches of the city's roads, which are crucial for traffic circulation -- MG Road near Clube Nacional, the road alongside the Panaji Police Station from the Geeta Bakery junction headed towards the Mandovi river and the stretch between the St Inez roundabout to the Taj Vivanta junction -- were fully shut for traffic.
Added to these bottlenecks were the impediments to traffic flow caused by the heavy movement of bulldozers and trucks transporting sand, cement and other materials.
Traffic flow was particularly affected during the peak morning hours between 11 am and 1 pm and also post-office hours after 5.30 pm on Thursday.
The road digging and closures are expected to haunt the capital city at least until March 31, the deadline set by the Centre for completion of all Smart City projects.
Residents and green activists have often raised concerns over the haphazard execution of work for the last three years, alleging scant respect for human safety and other problems like dust pollution affecting the health of citizens, seniors in particular.
Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) had officially sought permission from the North Goa Collector to shut at least three of the city's thoroughfare roads to enable its contractors to complete the residual works.
The Smart City's special purpose vehicle which is headed by the State's Chief Secretary and has Civil Supplies Secretary Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS, as its managing director and CEO, has until March 31 next year to complete all the projects under the Smart City mission.
