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A Stitch In Time….????
* No visible progress: Forty days after Kamat took over as PWD Minister, most roads across Goa remain in poor shape.
* Survey done, action pending: PWD categorized roads by damage level, but major repair work hasn’t started.
* Selective repairs: Roads in parts of Margao and South Goa were quickly resurfaced before Amit Shah’s visit.
* Kamat’s defence: The minister says work will begin once rains stop and that contractors and officers will be held accountable.
* Public anger: Commuters say patchwork repairs fail repeatedly, leading to accidents and frustration.
* Accountability question: Kamat says police determine responsibility for pothole-related accidents, but PWD will “ensure accountability.”
* Old promises, new ministry: Kamat hopes to replicate his past success as Power Minister by improving PWD’s planning and monitoring.
* Ground reality: Despite big plans, most Goan roads remain a bumpy, dangerous mess.
— Despite Digambar Kamat’s assurances and surveys, Goa’s roads remain riddled with potholes — except those hurriedly repaired ahead of Amit Shah’s visit.
By Suraj Nandrekar
Panaji: Forty days after Digambar Kamat took charge as Goa’s Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, the condition of the state’s roads remains largely unchanged. Across Goa, from village bylanes to national highways, potholes continue to dominate the driving experience, and the promised “concrete steps” toward improvement are yet to be seen on the ground.
Kamat was sworn in as a minister in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s cabinet on August 21, and a week later, on August 28, he was allotted the PWD portfolio. Within 24 hours, he ordered a state-wide survey of road conditions—a move he said would form the basis of a systematic repair plan. But more than a month later, most commuters would argue that little has changed.
In several parts of Goa, particularly in Margao, Ponda, and Quepem, potholes have only deepened after the recent bouts of post-monsoon rain. Complaints on social media continue, and local residents say that the temporary patchwork has failed to hold. The common refrain is simple: “We keep hearing of surveys, not solutions.”
Interestingly, the only visible road improvement in recent weeks came ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Goa. In Margao and parts of South Goa, several roads were hastily resurfaced or patched up just days before Shah’s arrival. Local contractors confirmed that “emergency work orders” were issued for stretches along the route of the minister’s convoy. Outside these limited areas, however, road conditions remain abysmal.
Asked about the lack of progress, Kamat defended his department’s efforts. “Yes, potholes have always been an issue in Goa, especially during the monsoons. But we have already started taking concrete steps,” he said. According to him, the PWD survey has categorised Goa’s roads into three groups—those in need of urgent repairs, those moderately damaged, and those still in good condition.
Kamat said the department has instructed contractors to start hot-mix work once the rains completely subside. “I have met with hot-mix plant owners, and once the plants are ready, contractors will begin resurfacing priority roads, including access roads to the airport and highways,” he said. He added that he is personally inspecting works such as the Dabolim airport road to ensure quality and accountability.
But for the average Goan motorist, such assurances offer little comfort. The number of pothole-related accidents continues to rise, and questions over responsibility persist. When asked who should be held accountable for accidents or deaths caused by bad roads, Kamat said, “Every life lost is a tragedy. I am not the authority to fix responsibility. Police conduct panchanamas and say the department is responsible if it is so, but PWD will also ensure accountability.”
Critics, however, argue that this response typifies the state’s approach—passing the buck instead of fixing the system. The PWD, they say, has long suffered from poor planning, weak monitoring, and a contractor-driven culture that prioritizes short-term fixes over durable infrastructure.
Kamat insists he plans to change that. He recalls his tenure as Power Minister when he claims to have turned a loss-making department into a profitable one through reforms and better service delivery. “I want to replicate the same model in PWD—systematic planning, accountability, and quality assurance,” he said.
Yet, as of early October, Goa’s roads tell a different story. From potholes swallowing two-wheelers in urban areas to crumbling interiors in the hinterland, the “survey-to-action” transition appears stuck. What citizens see instead are cosmetic repairs—especially when high-profile visitors are expected.
Until hot-mix plants start humming and quality control takes precedence over quick fixes, the promise of smoother rides will remain just that—a promise. For now, the PWD’s pledge of accountability and quality has yet to translate into tangible improvement. Goa’s roads, much like its political assurances, are still riddled with potholes.
