The Porvorim six-lane flyover was finally inaugurated by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday, September 9, in the presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other ministers, amid much hype.
Goans are now hoping that the newly inaugurated Porvorim flyover will help ease traffic congestion and provide relief to commuters travelling towards Panaji and back towards Mapusa and other areas. Commuters travelling from Mapusa and the beach-belt areas towards Panaji through the various bypass and inner roads via Porvorim have suffered enough over the past two and a half years during the construction of the six-lane flyover.
I hope that commuters heading towards Panaji will henceforth not face the same old traffic jams during peak hours, especially from near the Hero showroom towards the two old Mandovi bridges. Two-wheeler riders, who are still not allowed to use the Atal Setu, along with four-wheeler vehicles heading towards Panaji market, will continue to depend on the two old Mandovi bridges to reach their destinations. This could result in traffic jams similar to those witnessed earlier.
I therefore hope that such ugly scenes do not occur again near the two Mandovi bridges and that traffic movement really improves, as promised by the politicians, once commuters begin using the newly constructed six-lane flyover at Porvorim.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
