Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant today assured that the Porvorim–Mall de Goa stretch, where flyover construction work is underway, will not be closed for traffic until the fifth day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Sawant said the decision was taken to avoid inconvenience to people during the festive rush. “The road will remain open till the fifth day of Ganesh Chaturthi. After that, we will work out a detailed diversion plan and accordingly shut the road. Before that, potholes along the Porvorim highway and other parts of Goa will be repaired,” he stated.
The ongoing flyover work at the busy Porvorim junction has caused congestion and raised concerns among daily commuters traveling between Panaji and Mapusa. Currently, a temporary diversion near Mall de Goa is being used to manage the traffic flow.
Earlier, Tourism Minister and local MLA Rohan Khaunte had also assured residents that the closure of roads in Porvorim would be considered only after Ganesh Chaturthi, taking into account the festival rush.
Meanwhile, the Executive Engineer, Works Division-VII (NH), PWD, Panaji – who is also the Administrator of NH-66 between Patradevi to Agassaim – had already issued an order for the first phase closure of the left-side main carriageway of NH-66 from O’Coqueiro junction (P55) to Mall de Goa (P70) for all types of vehicular traffic from August 24, 2025, to January 31, 2026. The order was issued to facilitate “hindrance-free and speedy completion” of the project while ensuring commuter safety.
The flyover project is part of the state’s efforts to decongest Porvorim and improve traffic movement along the NH-66 corridor. However, frequent traffic snarls and the timing of diversions have drawn criticism from commuters and locals.
