CANACONA BAD ROADS: Cong-GF say contractor taking people for granted

Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA – While the bad roads saga continues in Canacona, Congress-Goa Forward now shifts their attention towards the newly elected MLA to complete the repairs and Hot-mixing of the badly damaged Canacona roads, including National Highway-66.
Congress-Goa Forward jointly submitted a memorandum to the new elected Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar at his office in Ruby Residency on Friday.
According to GPCC General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari, Tawadkar has assured to resume the stalled repair and Hot-mixing works on NH-66 road from Canacona to Polem and Canacona to Margao before 1st April.
It may be recalled that following congress-Goa Forward threats of agitation, PWD (Highway) had started the road repair/patchworks in the Gulem section and some parts of Manohar Parrikar Canacona Bypass Road (MPCBR) by 1st March, but stopped the works after four days.
“Our roads especially from Canacona to Margao is no more motorable, every section of the motorists, be it patients, women, aged people or children using this road had become a hell, especially when our I’ll be equipped only government hospital refers each and every patient ( even to the extent of having cold, fever, a simple cut, pregnant women, etc.) to Margao. We told the MLA, this can’t go on. As assured, if works do not start before 1st April, we informed MLA, who informed us that he spoke to PCE, we have an alternate remedy at hand”, Janardan Bhandari said.
He said the NH-66 road from Polem to Canacona via Partagal and from Gulem to Margao has turned into a nightmare to motorists.
Stating PWD officers had taken Canconcars for granted, Goa Forward leader Prashant Naik said ”Just to tie leaves to our eyes, PWD started to repair NH-66 road after we had threatened to go on the agitational path.
Even the MPCBR road has been reduced to a nightmare, while the highway via Partagal for which work order has been pending since last year is kept as it is.
“Henceforth, we will not give memorandum or issue deadlines. PWD officers, as well as the contractor, are very irresponsible. Until today, we are requesting and giving memorandums, the last 45 days remain, and no more we will request nor give memorandums as the works remaining towards Margao is more than 28 km, and it’s not possible to complete this much works by 15th May,” he said.
Every time PWD says they are mobilizing the contractor, but if they fail to do this within these 7 days, then People of Canacona need to get mobilized to make PWD Engineers and contractor mobilize’.
“Henceforth, no request and memorandums, only action and actions after 1st April’,” Naik said.
Also present were Canacona Congress Block President Prahlay Bhagat, GFP Leader Vikas Bhagat, Shrishthal Sarpanch Ramu Naik, Poinguinim panch Pravir Bhandari amongst several others.