The Goa Congress Youth Committee has accused the Goa government and the state administration of criminally neglecting the safety and well-being of the people of the state.
Pointing to the higher number of lives being lost in the state due to the increasing road accidents, South Goa district president Mahesh Nadar blamed the government for failing to put in place adequate measures to ensure traffic can move smoothly and in a safe manner. They addressed the media after issuing the memorandum to the PWD Margao today.
In a memorandum issued to the district authorities, Nadar pointed out the lack of safety initiatives and measures by the administration to prevent mishaps.
Nadar informed the authorities that not just citizens but the Goa Police as well have been lamenting that the state administration is moving very slowly when it comes to implementing the recommended measures to increase road safety in the state.
Safety measures like crash barriers, proper signage, road markings and the closure of unsafe crossings have not been implemented.
Nadar also pointed out how political pressure has forced the administration to open unauthorised access towards busy roads, which has made life dangerous for both riders and pedestrians as they navigate the increasing obstacles that the administration has allowed to mushroom along the state’s roads.
The Youth Congress has demanded the authorities step in and put firm measures in place to ease the flow of traffic, clear the roads of encroachments, illegal access roads and sellers by the roadside before Goa earns a bad name for its killer roads.
"Unless citizens voice their demands and undertake protests, the government does not resolve problems affecting the common man. It is unfortunate that despite being in the 21st century, citizens do not have access to proper roads, electricity, water, healthcare and other vital amenities.
Thus, we are forced to take to the streets to press for our demands. Today, the government makes grandiose assurances of double engine growth, increasing employment, etc. However, the government is only fooling the people,” said Vaishnav Pednekar, the vice president of the State-Goa Pradesh Youth Congress.
Today, they visited the PWD roads division to question the officials about the lack of improvement works. They always keep passing the blame. However, after their visit, the official concerned assured them that repair works will be taken up.
“If you recall, we had to intervene and force the PWD official to take up repairs of the dilapidated road in Canacona. This protest was led by Janardhan Bhandari. The officials are only sitting and enjoying themselves with the taxpayer's money. They are only hoodwinking the people. If government officials don't do their job, we will keep taking up issues concerning the citizens," said Pednekar.
"We demand that the district authorities rectify the above deficiencies within 15 days, failing which, we the Youth Congress, will be forced to escalate the matter and use all possible means – legal and political – to highlight the government's utter failure in the matter," he added.
