‘WhatsApp photo & Location of Pothole to Get it Fixed’ says Goa Minister-Potholes Konkani Song goes Viral
Mangaluru: If you think that Smart City Mangaluru has the potholes which look like craters, but compared to the potholes seen in various cities in Goa, like Panjm, Margao, Calangute, Mapusa etc, our potholes here are way better than Goa. Couple of days, while I was in Margao, I rented a scooter and rode around a few prominent places in Goa- but the ride was just a bumpy one, like a camel ride, with the numerous potholes seen on many busy streets. However, angry citizens of Goa have flooded social media with criticism. The Goa Congress Committee has condemned the government for the pathetic and pothole- ridden roads and have pointed out that the incessant rains that have turned the roads un-motorable and that locals are also angry and upset over the condition of the roads running through the city. Congress has slammed the Goa BJP government and PWD for the poor quality of work undertaken, which has resulted in potholes.
Rudy Braggs a resident of Margao speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “In order to get the people to comply with traffic rules the penalties for each offence have also been increased but the condition of the roads has remained the same. So many people have been injured and a few lost their lives in accidents while trying to avoid potholes. Who is going to shoulder responsibility for this? The tyres and other parts of the vehicles are getting spoiled and worn out due to the bad roads. Who is responsible for this loss that is borne by the citizens? Our Government has been insensitive towards the needs of the locals and endangering the lives of Goans”.
James Braganza, yet another Goan speaking said, “The roads have gone from bad to worse and we had requested the government officials to wake up and stop playing with the lives of the people of Goa. The authorities have failed the people in all ways, be it water supply, electricity or roads. The government has failed and the public is suffering due to the poor quality and there are potholes on almost every stretch of road in Goa. The government has only been making promises but no action”.
And recently, a shout-out on a special WhatsApp number can now get potholes fixed in Goa, thanks to a social media-based grievance redressal system started by the state government’s Public Works Department. As per PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar speaking to media in Panaji said that “People can send us photographs and a global positioning system location of specific potholes and we will get them fixed. All they need to do is, send us a WhatsApp message on 7796667373. Mobile teams from our department will immediately carry out site inspections and fix the potholes.”
All state roads, barring the national highways, are covered under the initiative. Pauskar said that the state had witnessed 146 inches of rainfall this season, the highest in nearly two decades, which had taken a toll of the roads. He also said that constant banter and outrage on social media about Goa’s pothole-ridden roads was bringing the state a bad name. “Photographs of potholes on social media and videos of people arguing with our department’s engineers trying to repair the roads are defaming Goa online,” Pauskar said. The Goa government, specifically Pauskar, had come under fire for poor maintenance of roads in Goa, during the monsoon season.
Wouldn’t be nice if that initiative is started here in DK/Mangaluru so that at least citizens can alert the MCC or PWD officials about the potholes- following up and taking action by them is something which is not guaranteed ? Listen to the Goan Konkani song on Potholes set to the tune of Goan nightingale Lorna’s song “Bebdo” –
