State-wide review underway on completed and pending works
MAPUSA
With Assembly elections less than a year away, the scramble for fresh road resurfacing projects has intensified across Goa, triggering a State-wide review within the Public Works Department (PWD) amid concerns over fund allocation and political optics.
Several MLAs have pressed for urgent hotmixing of roads in their constituencies, banking on improved road conditions as a visible and politically significant achievement ahead of the polls.
“Good roads are among the primary expectations of the public. They are also highly visible works that benefit elected representatives in the run-up to elections. It is natural that MLAs are pitching for hotmixing projects at this stage,” a senior PWD engineer told this newspaper.
The issue came up for discussion at a recent high-level review meeting chaired by PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, where senior engineers were asked to present the status of hotmixing works across constituencies.
Funds under lens
Sources said the department has already spent a sizeable portion of its allocation on road resurfacing in the Calangute and Siolim constituencies in Bardez taluka, prompting concerns about regional imbalance.
During the meeting, Kamat is learnt to have directed officials to ensure that funds are distributed equitably.
“He made it clear that he is the minister for the entire State and not for any particular constituency. He instructed that all regions must receive fair treatment in terms of road development works,” a source present at the meeting said.
The minister has also sought comprehensive data on hotmixing works completed so far and those proposed or pending across Goa, indicating that a State-wide review is underway.
Officials, however, admitted that finances are tight.
“We are at the fag end of the financial year and most of the budget earmarked for road works has already been utilised. There is definitely a resource crunch,” a senior official said, adding that fresh allocations or re-appropriations may be required if additional works are to be sanctioned.
Despite the financial strain, insiders expect road works to pick up pace in the coming months as election preparations gather steam.
Monsoon fallout
The renewed push for resurfacing follows a difficult monsoon last year, when several roads across the State developed deep potholes and, in some cases, entire stretches were washed away, drawing sharp criticism from the public and the Opposition.
One of the key reasons cited for rapid deterioration was repeated excavation by various departments to lay utility lines, including water pipelines, sewerage networks, electricity cables and telecom infrastructure.
Soon after assuming charge as PWD Minister, Kamat had announced the formation of a committee under the Principal Chief Engineer to regulate road cutting and ensure that no road is dug up without prior permission from the department.
The move was aimed at improving coordination between departments and preventing damage to newly resurfaced roads.
With election season approaching, the condition of Goa’s roads is once again set to become both a governance challenge and a political talking point.
