Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA – While the monsoon is just knocking and may hit the State anytime now, PWD (Roads) in Canacona are found napping for its failure to maintain the roads and it’s sorroundings.
Given the state of affairs, almost all the Bus-Stops in Canacona are lying in total doldrums and have become a safety threat to the users (commuters).
Neither the roads are cleaned of the roadside bushes and other forest growth, and some of the main Bus-Stops of respective villages are left untouched and non-maintained. Many Bus-stops across the village road are seen covered with large forest growth with weeds almost and totally covering the entire structures, making it impossible for any human to enter.
As part of its pre-monsoon works, it is learnt PWD had only done a lip service in cleaning some roadside gutters in some parts of MDR-49 and other Internal Roads in Canacona taluka.
In Agonda village, at least two major Bus-Stops known to be importantly used by commuters have turned into ‘Bhoot-bunglas’ with weeds growth virtually taken up, totally covering it, not even leaving any passage/way to enter.
Residents stated they have had enough but still managed without using the Bus-Stops during summer, but it would be a disaster not to use and disastrous if these Bus-Stops are used during rains. “Where do we take protection from rains while waiting for the bus to arrive? Forget about the inability to sit; entering itself is impossible into these bus stops with entries covered, and moreover, the leaking roofs are another disaster, an infestation of the entire structures with weeds growth has made the bus stops unsafe for humans entry. Can’t anticipate the bus stops are free from Snakes occupation and it is very dangerous to enter the same’, said a commuter waiting for the bus to arrive at Panna bus stops in Agonda.
When contacted, Agonda sarpanch Badal Naikgaunkar blamed PWD for ignoring their duties and keeping the Bus-Stops unsafe for public use. “They have only partly cleaned the roadside gutters but left most of the road untouched in the village. The forest growth across the road is cut and cleaned but pays no attention to the maintenance of Bus-Stops, which have become very dangerous for public use. PWD should act and clean the Bus stops and replace their leaking roofs, if any, immediately”, Naikgaunkar said.