He was pointing out to the bumpy roads that almost ensure that anybody riding pillion is bound to fall off from the scooter. He had then said that the road infrastructure in the State would be enhanced and developed to ensure smooth riding and driving experience for the motorists.
Nearly a decade later, Goans are again questioning the government’s commitment to infrastructure development and the extensive road construction undertaken in the State. From the national highways and State highways to major district roads and the entire internal road network across the villages and towns of Goa, the roads are in a mess.
The National Highway 66 from Patradevi to Pollem has been undergoing expansion and construction. While the parts of the highway that have been constructed have already begun to wear out with major cracks and potholes in the middle of the roads, large portions are still under construction, especially in Pernem taluka. Work on the highway across the Ghat section in Canacona and parts of the Western Bypass is yet to commence. In addition, works on flyovers at Benaulim and now at Porvorim have been in the pipeline for a long and one cannot be certain about the date of completion. The NH 4-A is lingering on similar lines with parts of the highway yet to be reconstructed and in some areas land acquisition process yet to be completed so that the construction work can begin.
Yet another trouble is the constant road digging in every nook and corner of the State. One could infact debate on whether Goa has more potholes than road surface. The constant road digging for various reasons has ensured that even after the tarring of the road with a hot mix layer, potholes appear in no time, endangering the lives of the motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.
The fatal accident of Suyash Korgaonkar, a youth from Guirim, who died in a self-accident at Sangolda on Thursday evening, is yet another incident that has raised many questions about the condition and quality of roads in the State. Suyash died as the two-wheeler he was riding skidded off the road. And he succumbed to serious injuries even before reaching the Goa Medical College, Bambolim.
All these issues only add to the woes of the people who do not have alternatives to daily commute and are forced to ‘enjoy’ the bumpy ride. In addition, the dwindling state of affairs of the Kadamba Transport Corporation which has been unable to replace as many buses as have been taken off the roads after the completion of their life, has meant that citizens are forced to take to private means of transport and travel in their own four-wheelers or two-wheelers. This has created an additional burden on the already overpopulated Goan roads.
Nitin Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), is expected to be in Goa later this week. In April 2017, while the Eastern Peripheral Expressway was nearing its completion, Gadkari had said that he will pour tea into a cup to see whether a single drop spills over in order to assess the quality of work. Goans would be delighted if the Union Minister undertook a similar test of the Goan roads, especially the Centrally sponsored national highways which have become a back-wreching source for the locals.
It is not enough to only have broad highways for safe travel, but also well-engineered roads and equally well constructed roads that ensure the safety of the people commuting.