Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Eight incidents of roads caving in reported in Panaji, Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane has told the House. He also said that the government has issued strict directions to contractors on refilling of road dug for development works.
The eight places are – Road infront of Salgaokar Law College; Road infront of Police Station/Geeta Bakery; 3 Road near Newton House at Ribandar; 4 Road infront of Printing Press and opp. Body shop; Road near Bhatlem Masjid; Near Saraswati Mandir; Road from Inox upto Geeta Bakery; 8 Kundaikar Nagar and near Evergreen Bar & Restaurant.
In questions tabled by Vijai Sardesai and Carlos Almeida, who demanded to the floodings caused in municipal areas.
Rane said that there is no losses caused to the municipalities for roads caving in as they were repaired by contractors.
“The executing agencies/departments have been directed to ensure that proper backfilling as per design standards is being carried out and till such time the project site is well barricaded with proper signage,” he said.
Also, Rane added, any alternate route, if so required by the executing agencies/departments be first informed to the Traffic Police.
“It is imperative that utmost attention needs to be paid to ensure that traffic management, health and safety protocols are followed during execution,” he stated.
On the number of incidents of roads caving in, he said, no incidents of caving of the roads were noticed from the year 2019 to 2022, however during current year i.e. 2023 some incidents of caving of roads were noticed along some of the road stretches within Panaji City due to works undertaken by Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), Public Works Department (Sewerage) and Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd. (IPSCDL) for construction of Smart road, laying of sewerage and water pipe line (treated effluent) etc.
“The incidents of water logging/ flood like situation/overflowing of drains are observed at locations due to chocking of drains with silt, plastic service lines such as electrical cables, telephone cables, water pipe line, sewerage man holes etc. during monsoons and also due to very heavy rainfall, effects of high tide etc,” he said.
He said there is no loss caused to the Corporation as the rain water subsides within a short period of time and due to clearing of chocked drains by the Municipal workers stationed for such type of work.
