EDITORIAL
Will any officer ever be held accountable for poor decisions that cause commuters to suffer?
Potholed roads seem to have become the new normal in the state. With a few heavy showers over the past three days, potholes have resurfaced with a vengeance. Not only the village roads but even the state and national highways are in bad shape. For instance, the stretch between Porvorim and Guirim is in such poor condition that it poses a risk to motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.
What do the badly battered roads indicate? There has not been much heavy rainfall, yet the roads have opened up, exposing the poor quality of work. In the past two to three years, the government has repeatedly blamed “very heavy rains” for the gaping potholes. A reader recently pointed out that 15–20 years ago and earlier, the rains were just as heavy, yet the road condition was never as bad as it is today. Why then is the quality of hotmixing of roads so poor?
Some MLAs had claimed in April this year that works had been sanctioned for hotmixing of roads and that asphalting would be done in May. They later blamed the “sudden and heavy” pre-monsoon showers. While it is true that hotmixing cannot be undertaken during the monsoon, the question remains: why should the government schedule such work in mid-May? Goa has often received pre-monsoon showers or even heavy rainfall during that period. With climate change, rains can even arrive as early as April. Is there any planning or accountability in the PWD—or, for that matter, in any major department?
Any engineer will say that hotmixing work should be completed by early April, if not by the end of March. Experts add that road asphalting should be done at least a month before the monsoon begins, since sufficient time is required for curing newly laid asphalt. There is no logic in the PWD taking up hotmixing in May. Hence, some activists and vigilant citizens question whether such projects, costing crores of rupees to the state exchequer, are deliberately scheduled in May so that the roads get damaged quickly and fresh tenders have to be floated. They also suspect that the hotmixing and asphalting may not even be carried out according to specifications or the tendered length.
Why were roads dug up for laying underground cables or sewerage networks in April, despite knowing that Goa receives pre-monsoonal rains? What was the urgency? Frequently dug-up stretches become deathtraps. Will any officer ever be held accountable for such poor decisions that cause commuters to suffer? The government must ensure that all digging and roadworks are halted by April end. Why is the quality of work deteriorating? Contractors may know the answer, but can they afford to spill the beans?
On Sunday, AAP leaders sat inside potholes and planted BJP flags in them, declaring that every road crater in Goa is “BJP’s true legacy”. Criticising the PWD’s incompetence, AAP state president Amit Palekar said, “There is no system, no accountability, no shame.” The party alleged that contractors deliver shoddy work, potholes reappear within 15 days, and yet no action is taken against them. AAP also ridiculed the PWD for claiming that 548 pothole complaints were received on its app and that 100 per cent were resolved. The fact remains that potholes have resurfaced.
Lashing out at the worsening road conditions, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said, “This not only damages vehicles but also poses a health risk to commuters.”
The government claims that road audits are conducted. Then, why is there no improvement in road conditions? The government needs to be more sensitive to the hardships faced by commuters, especially two-wheeler riders.
