The much-awaited six-lane elevated corridor in Porvorim is set to transform the way traffic moves between North and South Goa. The corridor is expected to carry around 75,000 to 80,000 vehicles every day, which is nearly 60 per cent of the traffic currently using the stretch. While the infrastructure itself is a major development, one particular safety measure deserves equal attention, which is the 65 km/h speed limit imposed on the flyover. Wide, smooth and well-engineered roads naturally give motorists the feeling that they can drive faster. But this is precisely where the danger lies. Flyovers and bridges are not ordinary stretches of road. They have limited escape routes, barriers on either side and, in many cases, difficult conditions for stopping or recovering control of a vehicle. Over-speeding remains one of the major contributors to road accidents, especially on flyovers. The decision to maintain a 65 km/h speed limit on the Porvorim elevated corridor is therefore a welcome move. A smooth road should never become an invitation to speed. A safer speed can mean the difference between reaching home safely and not reaching home at all.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
