MARGAO
Traffic authorities and the powers that be remained adamant in continuing with the traffic signals at the Old Market Circle, even as Madgavkars, Fatordekars and Saxttikars in general have called for a thorough study before making these operational.
Demands for suspension of the traffic signals before the traffic police do a thorough study on the traffic flow and the signal timings grew stronger.
As the Abade Faria road, right from Gomant Vidya Niketan to the Old Market Circle, got choked with bumper to bumper traffic during peak hours for the fifth day, the traffic police team headed by DySP Prabodh Shirwaikar and PI Mohan Gawde watched helplessly.
Citizens literally pleaded for the immediate suspension of the traffic signals in the interest of the school children and office goers. Even the district authorities in private sounded skeptical of the traffic signals, saying these have only aggravated the situation during peak hours. Parents bitterly complained about children reaching late to school.
TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, however, struck a different note, asserting there’s bound to be opposition when attempts are being made to change a given situation. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, however, sympathized with the citizens.
The TCP Minster sought to apologize to the citizens for the hardships, but had no plans to suspend the operation of the traffic signals.
Dixon Vaz, who witnessed the traffic jam, said, “It took me 45 minutes to travel from Gomant Vidya Niketan to the Old Market Circle on the Abade Faria road. People are not opposed to traffic signals, but the ground reality only shows there was no study conducted.”
Another citizen Ella Mascarenhas demanded to know where in the world do traffic round abouts and traffic signals co-exist.
The TCP Minister told the media at the Lohia Maidan that he has directed the traffic police to conduct a survey on the traffic flow and the timings of the traffic signal. “This exercise should be complete within three days,” he said.
Interestingly, DySP Shirwaikar told The Goan that the traffic police will resort to man the traffic flow at the circle manually during peak hours, indicating that the traffic police too has realized the ground reality.
