CALANGUTE: Amidst mounting criticism from commuters about the potholed Saligao-Pilerne road, Saligao panchayat members on Friday said the situation was unavoidable due to laying of a water pipeline.
“The water pipeline work is going on and when it is complete, it will be tested and repaired if needed,” the sarpanch said.
“At the moment, we’re filling the potholes with rubble and level it using a road roller,” he said.
He said though the road was tarred and repaired before the monsoon, they had to dig it to lay a water pipeline. “There is a severe shortage of water in Saligao and it is not deliberately done,” he said.
The water pipeline is being laid from the new water treatment plant coming up at Pilerne and will connect it to the pumping station at Calangute which is being built alongside the Chogm road near Boa Viagem. The water will tehn be supplied to Saligao and Calangute-Candolim coastal belt.
Saligao panchayat members said the pipeline work was delayed due to the code of conduct and was speeded up in April and is now nearly complete. “Once the pipeline is laid, our water problem will be solved,” they said.