the goan I network
VASCO
Yet another massive traffic jam during the week left motorists and commuters stranded for several hours on Thursday, as vehicles were struck in huge queues along the highway between Agassaim and Cortalim.
Vehicles from Vasco were seen lined up as far away as Sancoale while the queue of vehicles from Margao were right up to Verna and the teams from Goa police and Traffic Police battled to control traffic and release vehicles at regular intervals from each side of the highway.
Emergency services like ambulances were seen struggling to move past the huge traffic jam. With traffic coming to a standstill, frustrated passengers of various KTC buses were seen walking by the roadside in the hope of crossing the other side and reaching their destinations.
According to information, ongoing construction of the new Zuari bridge and potholed roads at Agassaim brought traffic to a grinding halt, even as officials of Traffic and Goa Police claimed a minor accident on the bridge had led to the traffic jam.
Additional forces were deployed at the Cortalim circles as queues got bigger and longer.
While some vehicles behind the queues turned back and left, vehicles stranded in the traffic jam had no option but to move at snail’s pace.
Several taxis with passengers trying to rush to the airport were seen trying to jump the queues.
A frustrated motorist, Kaustubh Kamat, said the administration should find a permanent solution to the frequent traffic jams.
“This is getting out of hand and traffic jams have become a regular affair now. I travel between Vasco and Panaji everyday and this is become a part of my daily schedule. I had left Vasco at 3.30 pm and it’s 5.30 pm now and I have not even crossed Cortalim,” grumbled Kamat.
A tourist, Ramesh Goel, who had arrived by flight from Mumbai, said he was stranded for over 50 minutes at
Sancoale.
“It took me around an hour to travel from Mumbai to Goa, but to reach Panaji, it will take me more than 3 hours. I have been stranded here in Cortalim since the last one hour. I have been to Goa several times but have never seen such a traffic jam,” said Goel.
