Cong blames BJP govt for rising road accidents in state

Panaji: With several lives lost last week in road accidents, Congress on Thursday said that BJP-led govt has failed to prevent accidents in the state. Opposition leader Yuri Alemao said that BJP is focused on religion and caste over public welfare.

Alemao said that more than 1,300 people, including many youths, died in road accidents in six years. He blamed the bad quality of roads and faulty road engineering for the accidents.

“Fatal accidents are reported daily, claiming lives. It is shocking to see people dying in road accidents at an alarming rate, yet this govt seems insensitive to the issue,” he said.

Two people died after being hit by an interstate bus at Padi on Tuesday. On Wednesday, a 47-year-old man from Honda was killed in a bike collision at Supachi Pud, Harvalem.

Alemao highlighted that in 2023, Union minister for road, transport and highways Nitin Gadkari announced Rs 100 crore for Goa to remove road black spots and improve road safety.

“Chief minister Pramod Sawant on several occasions promised to mend the potholes. But today, there are roads with potholes, which are one of the causes of road accidents. Jet patcher machines brought to mend these roads and WhatsApp service to report potholes seem non-operational,” Alemao said.