Goemkarponn Desk
CANACONA – The rush of domestic tourists flocking at Palolem has once again thrown open the said affairs of traffic snarls at the world acclaimed Palolem beach, even as the scores of vehicles carrying domestic tourists virtually strangles Palolem.
The rush of vehicles especially on the eve of Independence day and the days that followed leading to the long weekend was exceptionally high making the tourists impossible to access the beachsands.
The usual rush of motorists in an effort to drive-in Palolem at the main beach- entrance (which have limited and narrow road-access to vehicles and a mini-parking lot) chokes the the entire narrow street, making it difficult even to two-wheelers and cyclists to transverse. ‘Even pedestrians are at loggerheads as to how to even walk on the street which do not even have walking space on the roadside. The situation is really bad and pathetic, and the best hours to witness and suffers this nemesis is between 12.00 hrs to 7 pm when the traffic jam is a regular feature, stretching as long as over a kilometre and for hours together. There is a heavy influx of domestic tourists every group coming with their own vehicles worsens the situation to drive on the road.’ a social worker and tourism stakeholder Socky Da Silva .
This type of situation now again witnessed in view Independence Day (15th August) which is followed by long weekend charged by a dry-spell, bringing in a horde of domestic tourists coming from Tamilnadu,. Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh amongst others state’s to enjoy the scenic beauty of Goa and particularly Canacona coastal areas. Similar scenes are also witnessed in such long weekend holidays.
At Palolem, the traffic jams are mostly caused because of the narrow Palolem Street and lack of parking space. Several vehicles heads to the hotels/rooms booked for their Stays and gets caught in the web jeopardizing movements of every other motorist.
People are regularly demanding and politicians have also regularly assured to c construct a bypass road to reach the main beach entrance, besides construction of a Multi-Storeyed Parking Lot has been a regular election gimmick at every elections held in the municipality, State or Country.
At times Councilors who even occupied chairpersons post in the Canacona Municipal Council including sitting Councilors Simon Rebello, Laxuman Pagui, CMC chairperson Sara Naik Desai, ex-Chairperson Divakar Pagui, ex-Dy. Chairperson Dayanand Pagui time and again raised the issues of a larger parking lot and wider road network at Palolem, and even got on-the spot assurances, but to no avail, till date.
‘People are promised widening of the existing road and another bypass road and most importantly a multi-storeyed parking lot to meet the ever increasing vehicles needs to park. Our CMC has passing resolutions and passed the multi-storeyed parking lot, with the present and past local MLAs including the GLA Speaker and ministers and even chief minister agreeing for the immediate need of specialized parking lot, but nothing is moving in ground reality. This is most needed and it should not be delayed no matter what if we are going to provide a relaxing and trouble-free holiday to the visitors/guests’, cries Palolem residents.
