---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* New GMC - Dona Paula highway fails to cover the obvious cracks* T he Government spent more than Rs 35 crore for the development of a highway by widening and providing footpaths including a cycling track from Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim to Dona Paula circle. However, though the work should have been completed a year back, it is still going on. Instead of providing proper ' paver' tiles, as per ISI standards, the PWD contractor has provided ' pavit' tiles for major portions of the road from GMC to the BSNL quarters and further provided granites slabs for these footpaths. These are not as per the standard specification specified by ISI for footpath tiles. How the PWD accepted such non- standard work from their contractor is the million dollar question. This should be investigated and the responsible person/ s should be booked. This seems to be a complete waste of public exchequer money for the benefit of some individuals. The work from GMC to the BSNL quarters is apparently delayed due to some dispute with a tenant having a bar and restaurant who is objecting to the widening of the road. The huge land which was uncultivated and not developed was lying like that till the PWD started the widening work. Surprisingly now the land is completely developed by the tenant and two entrances have been made from the highway to the said land during this year. As per the law, no such development or entrances can be approved on to a highway, which creates any obstruction to the public footpath. Similarly in many places along this highway, such gaps are seen. There should be an inquiry as to which authority approved such development carried out on such a large scale. The width of this footpath throughout the project is around 2.45 metres. The purpose of the footpath is for citizens to walk freely without any obstruction in a safe manner. However, Senior Citizens and health enthusiasts who want to use this footpath for leisure will be in for an unpleasant surprise. The footpath has many obstructions like electrical poles along with ( HT line) - High Tension wires, trees, traffic signs boards, etc, as they have not been removed. As per the latest electricity regulations, a pole or any electrical structure with an HT line is not permitted over a footpath as it should be free from any obstruction for achieving its maximum utility and safety. The quality of the work done along this stretch is also to be double checked as I personally found that the road dividers are filled with shabby waste materials like asphalt and stones and only the top layer is filled with good earth instead of completely filling it with good mud ( soil) so that plants can grow easily. The ground reflectors provided and fixed along with the road are fastened without the proper resin compound at most locations, and hence can come out in due course of time. The granite tiles provided near the All India Radio gate are broken from end to end right through the middle of the tiles, which will add to the danger during the rainy season, as these tiles and granite slabs are slippery and not advised by the Indian Standard Institute for usage on such footpaths. Also the tiling is shabbily fitted with different colors all along the footpaths with no regard for uniformity and aesthetics. In the area near GMC and other places, many encroachments have taken place by people who have extended their houses with compound walls. At certain places, illegal shops have come up, and also a Microwave Tower has been erected by a cellular service provider which is hampering the progress of work. The department is not taking strict measures against these encroachers despite the delay in completion it is causing. Likewise, near the NIO staff quarters at Dona Paula, an electrical sub- station is also creating an obstruction to the widening and completion of the road and footpath in that locality. The issue of having a bus stand near the slope of the NIO circle remains unresolved. The CCP’s Sanjit Rodrigues and others officials from the traffic department including architects, jointly discussed the feasibility of having a bus stand in this area which is just off the main road as you turn towards the Rosary School and NIO guest house. At the moment, all kinds of vehicles and buses temporarily seem to have permission to park there. Vehicles parking in this area are already creating obstructions for vehicular traffic while entering and going out from the main road. Traffic congestion is a problem here with many drivers having difficulties venturing into this sharp turn. If this bus stand is finally approved, the authorities must ensure there should be safety and good traffic control at this area. This problem could be solved by proper widening of the road with dividers. At the moment, the widening of the road is halted near this place instead of continuing up to the end to the NIO circle. This sudden narrowing of the road right at this sloping area is an invitation for accidents due to the resulting bottleneck. This road is not widened here even though the required land acquisition process is initiated by the PWD. The present width of the road at this location is only about 10 metres, whereas the rest of the widened road from Bambolim to Dona Paula NIO quarters is a two lane road with approximately 25 metres width with a footpath and cycle tracks on both sides. This sudden bottleneck obstructs smooth traffic flow, thus reducing the utility of the road widening work already completed. Even the present St Cruz MLA, Atanasio ( Babush) Monserrate observed this issue at the site and assured that he will take up the widening work for this portion soon with the Department. It is to be seen how the work will be completed in all respects so that the public can get the full benefit of the widening of the road. Perhaps political pressure will force the newly elected Corporator Nazareth Cabral ( Babush panel, Ward 2), to take up this road widening which is just opposite his residence. The public will be saved from accidents that have been occurring in this accident prone zone. ( The author is a former Scientist of NIO and resident of Dona Paula and a concerned citizen journalist) citizen StepHen diaS dona paula Signboards are still in place in the middle of pavements making it inconvenient for people to make full use of it ( above); Proper tiles aren’t used to build the sidewalks ( top right), Roads aren’t marked clearly and sudden bottlecks could cause accidents ( right middle); Encroachments have also prevented completion of sidewalks on the highway stretch ( bottom right)