CANACONA: Inspite of we being two hundred years ahead when John McAdam a Scottish civil engineer and road-builder invented modern roads which the world call as Macadamised Roads”, a look at the major part of the NH66 from Margao to Polem is enough to put McAdam to shame, many feel from here.
Anil Bhagat a vocal local from Canacona points out to this stretch and says that this is a classic example of the PWD through its contractors are building worst roads.
“This road has achieved an unwanted notoriety as mishaps are being reported on a regular basis some even fatal says Bhagat.
This road is just about 50 km of the total 1,608 km long usy National Highway that runs roughly north–south along the western coast of India, parallel to the Western Ghats.
It connects Panvel (a city south of Mumbai) to Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari), passing through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Thousands of vehicles both passenger and commercial ply on this road daily and feel that the driving on this stretch of road is a nightmare for the motorists.
A drive down this stretch from Margao to Polem is enough to know why these drivers who has experience of driving on worst roads feel like that.
A civil engineer wishing unanimity informed that while building any road it is to be raised above the surrounding ground and constructed from layered rocks and gravel in a systematic manner, a camber, making the road slightly convex, ensures rainwater rapidly draining off the road rather than penetrate and damage the road’s foundations.
While the road construction science has improved by leaps and bounds in the last few decades the basics of road construction has remained the same he argued.
About the depression that is observed on the right side of this road while coming from Margao side he says that this portion was part of the road widening and not constructed as per the requirements.
“Any roads needs a solid foundation below and the foundation of the sunk portion were laid with medium and poor quality laterite stone (Robol) with passage of time they break with the load of moving vehicles, the load multiplies while breaking” he informed.
While there is no dearth of good talent and engineers in the Goa Public Works Department, but when it comes to honesty and integrity it’s a big question mark he said.
“The road from Margao to Polem is neither convex nor above the surrounding ground and on top of it the poor quality of material and workmanship makes this road so dangerous to drive in” he summed up.
Bhagat says that he has travelled world and knows what quality road are and says that this road is no good, it’s a shame that the tourists who come from all over the world to Canacona just but can’t control their laughter, such bad is this road he says.
“Look at the road, where are the shoulders, look at the depressed portion which is one meter wide and runs from karmalghat to Balli”.
Apart from all the vehicles two wheeler riders are the most affected he says.
“Any road should provide smooth ride but this stretch looks like is built by unskilled workers under the supervision of equally unskilled supervisors of the PWD, otherwise you explain to me how on earth this portion has sunk?” Bhagat asked.
