Goa: Potholes make Calangute a death-trap for motorists

SALIGAO: The heavy rains over the past four days has resulted in huge potholes on the main arterial road at Calangute , going towards Saligao . The huge potholes have put commuters, especially the two-wheeler riders plying on the stretch at risk, as their vehicles often skid when they ride over the deep, slushy potholes.

This stretch of road witnesses a huge flow of traffic, as both locals and tourists take this road to Calangute beach, the Calangute church, to a school in the locality and also to proceed towards Saligao.

The hot mixing works of the stretch was carried out by the panchayat with the help of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in May but with the onset of the monsoons the layer of tar got washed away, resulting in a mangled, uneven road.

Speaking to TOI, Calangute resident Manuel Cardozo said that the formation of potholes was a serious problem for two-wheeler riders.

"We are tax payers and we are entitled to proper services like good roads and clean water . We should not be forced to travel on these risky, pothole-riddled streets," said Cardozo.

Speaking to TOI, panch member of Calangute, VP Sudesh Mayekar said that the panchayat had taken up the filling of the potholes with concrete in July when there were a few dry spells but the heavy rains after that led to the roads being washed away. Once the rains subside, we will once again hotmix the road before the tourist season starts," he said.