MAPUSA
The State government has clarified that the decision to make service roads one-way or two-way along national highways depends on site-specific requirements, land availability and local traffic intensity.
However, the issue has gained urgency amid growing concerns over dangerous driving practices on either side of the NH-66, where motorists are increasingly seen flouting rules and using service roads in the wrong direction.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio, explained that standard practice is to make service roads one-way if they are constructed on both sides of the main carriageway.
Two-way service roads are generally provided only when there is a single service road on one side of the highway.
“Service lanes are always constructed depending upon availability of land and internal traffic intensity. The decision is accordingly taken to make them one-way or two-way,” Sawant said.
Despite these guidelines, on-ground reality paints a worrying picture.
In several stretches of NH-66 “ particularly in busy urban fringes such as Porvorim, Mapusa and Margao “ motorists routinely drive in both directions on a single one-way service road, weaving through traffic and endangering pedestrians and other vehicles.
PWD officials insist they have installed adequate cautionary and mandatory signboards to regulate traffic.
Yet, rule violations remain rampant, with enforcement falling short.
According to sources, traffic police are often reluctant to crack down on such violations due to “political compulsions” and public backlash over perceived inconvenience.
As per Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards, the minimum width of a service road should be seven metres to accommodate safe two-way traffic.
However, in Goa’s densely built-up stretches, acquiring the necessary land is a challenge.
“Due to land constraints, it is not always possible to maintain the standard width, and such deviations are documented in the schedules of EPC and HAM contracts for national highways,” a senior PWD engineer said.
The lack of uniform enforcement and public compliance has turned some service roads into high-risk corridors.
Experts warn that wrong-side driving on narrow lanes not only increases the risk of head-on collisions but also complicates pedestrian safety, as many service roads lack dedicated footpaths or safe crossing points.
Urban planners have long suggested that the State should pair road design decisions with stronger public awareness campaigns and consistent policing.
“If service roads are made one-way, physical barriers or median dividers should be installed to prevent wrong-way entry,” one traffic safety consultant noted, adding that such measures are common in other States.
