HC to govt: Pave Porvorim road to stop dust pollution

Panaji: The high court of Bombay at Goa directed govt to hotmix roads at Porvorim where traffic is diverted due to construction of the flyover.

It instructed govt to start with the stretch between Mall de Goa and O’Coqueiro Junction as a measure to control dust pollution and manage traffic. If successful, other stretches will also be taken up for hotmixing, advocate general Devidas Pangam said.

The high court also directed that water be sprinkled on the road four times a day to control dust pollution.

Pangam mentioned that a joint meeting with the PWD, RTO, traffic police and contractors will be held in the next few days to address traffic management and dust pollution issues caused by the Porvorim flyover construction. The meeting will also discuss passage for ambulances, handling of emergency situations, and providing a trauma centre, Pangam said. Measures to install appropriate signboards at relevant places will be discussed too.

One of the proposed measures is the hotmixing of alternative roads on the side of the main road, which are causing dust pollution and posing a hazard.

The HC is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by advocate Moses Pinto concerning the construction of the elevated corridor at Porvorim on NH 66, which has resulted in severe congestion, particularly along the stretch between Guirim Junction and Mall de Goa. It stated that diversions due to the work at Porvorim cause further disruptions.

The PIL sought directions to Goa govt to establish trauma care centres along major highways and accident-prone areas to ensure the availability of a timely response. As immediate relief, Pinto sought emergency repairs on critical road sections identified as high-risk or accident-prone, deployment of speed cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, temporary traffic signals at high-risk intersections and construction zones to manage traffic flow and enforce safety regulations.