Mapusa sub-yard to get new access road to ease congestion

MAPUSA

The persistent congestion near the main municipal market – particularly along the stretch from the KTC bus-stand leading to the wholesale sub-yard – is expected to ease soon, with the Goa Agricultural Produce & Livestock Marketing Board proposing the construction of a new access road to the Mapusa sub-yard.

The Board has already invited tenders from eligible contractors for the project, which is estimated to cost around Rs 33 lakh.

The proposed road will connect the new gate of the sub-yard to the Walke dairy point, offering an alternative entry and exit route for market vehicles.

The move has been welcomed by traders who have long demanded measures to decongest the crowded market approach roads.

“The plan to construct a new road to the sub-yard is a good idea as it will help in decongesting the market entry point from the KTC bus-stand side,” said Siddesh Raut, Secretary of the Mapusa Merchants Association (MMA).

Raut added that the MMA had also suggested reserving the open space behind the new intra-State bus stand for parking, which he said would further reduce traffic entering the city.

“People can park their vehicles there and walk to the market instead of driving into the city,” he said.

Former chairman of the Mapusa market sub-yard, Amey Natekar, noted that the existing road was built with laterite stones and was used mostly by heavy trucks.

The proposed tarring, he said, would significantly ease the bottleneck at the old KTC bus-stand side.

“The new road will definitely help reduce pressure on the one side of the sub-yard,” Natekar said.

He also revealed that a detailed proposal to refurbish the entire sub-yard – introducing several new and upgraded facilities – has already been submitted to the Board.

The comprehensive redevelopment project is estimated to cost around Rs 80 crore, he added.