We are all too familiar with pot-holed roads in the state. But in the years gone by, one seldom heard of roads caving-in. This has become a somewhat recent phenomenon and is occurring across the state.
A section of the main road at Conshem-Nirankal in Ponda caved in following heavy rains thereby creating a serious hazard for motorists. A crater has also formed at the affected location, further endangering commuters.
Panaji city saw several instances of road cave-ins with the Smart City project in progress even before the onset of monsoon. Wheels of cars and heavy vehicles like trucks and buses invariably got stuck in the roads.
Haphazard and unscientific digging of roads for underground cabling and other works has been the prime reason for roads caving-in. When roads are dug up they need to be filled up properly with mud before the tarring work. If the mud is loosely dumped, rainwater seeps in.
A safety audit of roads that have been dug for various underground work and faulty road-engineering is the need of the hour.
