the goan I network
VASCO
Confusion prevailed among motorists as authorities effected closure of the stretch of highway between Cortalim junction and Santrant slope for the first time on Monday from 11 pm.
Motorists were taken by surprise and many were still unaware of the traffic diversion between Verna-Titan junction, Dabolim junction, Chicalim junction and Cortalim junction, as part of ongoing work to erect the spine and wing segments of the superstructure of new Zuari Bridge approach towards Cortalim side.
The traffic diversion will be implemented for all traffic, except all emergency vehicles like ambulance, fire, etc. between 11 pm and 7 am from June 24 to October 15.
Teams from Verna and Vasco as well as Traffic Police were stationed at both ends of Cortalim Junction and Santrant slope.
In the absence of sufficient traffic diversion signboards intimating motorists well in advance, the motorists were seen proceeding towards Margao after crossing the Cortalim Circle, only to be told to stop and take the traffic diversion towards Chicalim and Dabolim junctions.
Traffic Police were seen explaining to several unsuspecting motorists about the traffic diversion.
A manager at an industrial estate at Verna was seen interacting with the Traffic Police, explaining that about 200 staff were to begin their third shift at night and were unaware of the traffic diversion.
The manager pointed out that the long diversion to reach the Verna industrial estate would lead to a 30-minute delay, causing losses in production and pleaded for exemption on Monday night.
The Traffic Police, however, did not pay heed to his requests.
Many motorists seemed upset over the long traffic diversion via Chicalim and some tried to explain to the traffic police that they were proceeding towards their homes barely a few hundred metres away from the traffic diversion boards.
The Traffic Police then advised the motorists to proceed towards the Cortalim ferry point and proceed towards Thana.
In a bid to about the long traffic diversion, many motorists began attempting shorter internal roads to proceed to and from Margao.
Some employees working at the Verna Industrial Estate (VIE) and living in rented rooms in Thana were told to walk up to the Cortalim circle, where a company bus would pick them and take them to the VIE, via Chicalim and Dabolim.
