Goemkarponn desk
MARGAO: Universally it is believed that a stitch in time saves nine but if we look at the state in which the National Highway 66 (NH66) road leading from Margao to Canacona, it as enough indication that the officials who are responsible for upkeep and maintenance of this all important road have not heard or read about it.
Inspite of this part of the road being so important the PWD who are the sole authority to repair the road from time to time has faultered in their duties which is leading to losses in human life as well as properties may allege.
Anil Bhagat a senior citizen speaking with Goenkarponn informed that the commuters have been urging the authorities in this case the PWD to carry out maintenance works on
Margao-Canacona stretch of NH66 as the road is in pitiable condition at some portions.
The bitumen surface at many places have just washed away, the road has sunk at many places, the crash guards are damaged due to accidents and are not replaced for years, this is the story of the Margao-Cancona highway said Bhagat.
The bad condition of the road is leading to back-breaking ride for motorists, more so for two-wheeler riders many regular commuters complain, but their complain fall on deaf ears they say.
Speaking further, Anil Bhagat said that the sorry state of the road has already been brought to the notice of the officials many times but alas they work in their own comfort zone he said.
The National Highway allots funds to repair and upkeep the National Highways in Goa but the local PWD authorities who are entrusted for the job are found wanting in keeping this road in drivable condition Bhagat said.
The National Highways in India are a network of trunk roads owned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and these roads are constructed and managed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the National Highways and Infrastructure Development
Corporation (NHIDCL), and the public works departments (PWD) of state governments.
India has a total of 151,019 km (93,839 mi) of National Highways as of March 2021.
Goa has 293km of NH compared to 7335km in Karnataka and 17757km in Maharashtra, the drivers coming from these state just can’t hold their laughter when they see these type of roads Bhagat said.
“A few months ago a few of friends from Mumbai came to Goa, they were laughing at the state of the National Highway passing through Goa”.
“One of my friend said that Goa is not even of the size of a district of Maharashtra, yours is a state dependent on tourism, why can’t you run it efficiently and provide good roads? he asked.
Diogo Da’ Silva a social activist from Canacona while speaking to this correspondent was equally vocal and doubted the efficiency of the PWD officials, these people are paid salaries from the taxpayers money, why can’t they perform their basic duties he asked.
“We pay thousands of rupees in Road Tax, is it not our basic right to have a good motorable road? asked Da’ Silva.
