Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: With no clarity on what role police should play if a vehicle breaks down in the middle of the road, the vehicles that break down mainly on the karmalghat slope remain there sometimes many days creating hazardous situations for other commuters, many times they double up and discharge the role traffic management for the vehicles coming from both the sides at the spot.
In a similar instance a multi axle truck broke its drive shaft while ascending the Karmalghat hill on Sunday and with no assistance from police nor anyone was found obstructing more than half of the carriage way till they themselves managed to find a mechanic to rectify the fault and clear the road for smooth flow of traffic on Monday evening.
When this correspondent asked the distressed driver and cleaner of the stranded truck as to why the truck is blocking the road at a blind curve, both replied that the drive axle has broken and they don’t have any idea or contact details of a heavy vehicle mechanic in the area.
With no police around the cleaner was seen directing the traffic as the truck was blocking the view for the vehicles coming from either side.
Anil Bhagat a senior citizen and a social activist who stays close by was clearly upset as inspite of the truck breaking down since Sunday, neither police nor traffic police came to assist the driver in finding a mechanic or a crane to tow the truck to the side of the road.
“The truck driver informed me that his trucks drive shaft broke and there is no way he can shift the vehicle and he is trying to contact his owner who is from Belgaum” informed Bhagat.
“I fail to understand what role the police, traffic police and the Highway Patrol has to play when a vehicle breaks down in the middle of the road, mostly out of state heavy duty vehicles break down on Karmalghat and many times they don’t even know to speak in Hindi or English, the other commuters abuse them for no fault of theirs” said Bhagat.
“Safety and security of commuters on roads is the main role of traffic police but in such cases traffic police are never seen in the vicinity” said Bhagat.
Another local complained that the Highway Patrol vehicle which was usually seen with the traffic police fining the traffic violators at Char Rasta is not seen since last few months.
Highway Patrol personnel is supposed to help commuters on the highway who are in distress and need assistance but these personnel don’t know their role and were mostly seen on mobiles with their vehicle parked under the shade or assisting the traffic police to book cases of traffic violations he added.
This broken down trucks are a traffic hazard and police showing no interest at all the drivers keep stones or twigs to warn off the commuters of the impending danger ahead.
“Its time the police higher ups conduct refreshes courses to all the police personnel from constable to the Police Inspector as to what their role is in such different scenarios, otherwise it’s going to get worst in coming days as the traffic is going on increasing on the Canacona-Margao route Bhagat inferred.
