Rajan wrote:
"Panjim's traffic woes have escalated dramatically in the last 3-4 years
and a major (note, not the only) contributor can be traced to the
thousands of new apartments (mainly for outsiders) that have arisen
in Dona Paula, Caranzalem, and Taleigao thanks to Monserrate.
These people have to come to Panjim, and the only route available
is the Miramar-Campal road. This is also a recipe for other kinds of
problems that will surely arise in the very near term (eg. water shortage)."
Comment:
What Rajan says is very much true. But we also have to add up the tourist
taxis that contribute to a huge mess in the city. Added to that, if just one
occupant is going to drive into the city with an SUV or the other huge
crap, imagine the plight of Panjim. Almost every second government servant
travels into Panjim with a bike leave aside those who even come in cars.
Then we have the private offices and the hundreds of lawyers in city courts.
The beauty is that Panjim is still coping to absorb this shock of
accelerated growth because of the wisdom of the Portuguese planners. Just
see the plight of the new Patto Plaza sector developed by migrant planners.
It is clogged within just 5 years.
Another cause of traffic chaos is the mentality of the drivers that are not
bothered to observe simple traffic rules. They are ignorant that any such
thing ever exists on this planet earth. They only know about 'Freedom' given
to them by Indian government and desh premis. The only time they try to
pretend to be at their best behaviour is when they see a cop with a challan
book strolling around. Sometimes they even do not bother about that uniform.
Sorry to say it is our life styles, Goans included, that are killing the
cities. Goa does not have enough for everyone's greed.
-Soter
