Rains accompanied by thunder and lightning hit many parts of Salcete this evening, bringing relief to the people from the sweltering heat.

Rains hit the Margao at around 9 pm and it continued for well over an hour.  

Shoppers as well as vendors were caught unawareness at the old market feast fair. 

People were seen running helter skelter as the city witnessed pre-monsoon rains this evening.

Margao fire brigade rushed to attend calls in the city as reports of minor accidents due to slippery road conditions poured in late evening. 

A number of accidents are believed to have occurred on the NH-17 due to slippery condition of the road. [H]

With the death of 59-year-old Abdul Shaikh Rasid, on Tuesday,  the  death toll on the  ‘killer’ Arlem-Ambora road stretch of around 4 kilometers along Margao-Ponda highway, has touched 13. 

 

PWD is developing this stretch into four lanes since the year 2008 and is still incomplete. 

In all, 24 accidents have been reported on this road stretch and maximum number of accidents happened due to the faulty design of the road and careless attitude of the PWD engineers, assistant engineers, contractors and sub-contractors.

On  June 26, 2011,  the Maina-Curtorim police had arrested  contractor,  Prakash Volvotkar and  site  supervisor, Mr  Bansaab Rehman  for  their alleged negligence which cost  lives.  Offence was  registered against them  after  four youth  from  Rumdamoll-Davorlim,   Rafik  Gaunde (29),  Irfan Pirjat (28),  Rehmatulla  Kunnar (33)  and  Mulali Kapor (25)  were instantly killed in their car when it rammed into the oncoming  truck in the same lane, allegedly diverted by the site  supervisor wrongly and without any prior direction at the sharp turn of Tembi. They along with the truck driver were later released on bail.

Even after the completion of four years and spending crores of rupees on this four kilometer Arlem-Ambora stretch, the PWD could not complete the land acquisition process and give a proper road.  What instead the authorities did was to put the cart before the horse.

The PWD instead of  widening the road properly, continued with its work haphazardly leaving sharp turns at several places on this stretch  without land acquisition and as a result accidents are the order of the day and so also the deaths.

The villagers of Raia and Camorlim complained to the PWD  engineers about the  faulty design several times. They met MLAs, ministers and the frequency of their visits increased with all the seriousness as and when the accidents and deaths were reported on this road. 

To pacify the agitating locals the government officials and elected representatives kept on passing the buck form one to another and too very conveniently.

After the accident on April 24, 2013, when the two youth from  Ponda  died on the spot at the sharp turn at  Uzro,  the District  Magistrate,   police,  PWD, traffic police held a meeting and assured some measures which would control the accidents. They assured to put signages, markings on the road, speed- breakers, whereas the  local MLA,  Mr  Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco  raised the issue in the  Assembly and he was assured to improve the road condition. But,  till  date, the situation has remained the same without any improvement.

After the accident, the road stretch has been hot-mixed. The motorists now speed up all the more which has put the lives of pedestrians to a greater risk while they cross the road. 

“We will  improve it. The land acquisition  will be done soon,’’ assured the  principal chief engineer, Mr J S Rego. When brought to his notice about the repeated accidents and deaths,  he   said, “I am aware of it, it will be done,’’ without assuring as to when it will be completed.

When his attention was drawn to the dangerous curves on the road stretch which may lead to deaths of innocent school children while they cross the road,  Mr Rego  said, “Some  time  is required to complete the process.’’ [NT]

Several items of jewellery were robbed from the Rivankar jewellery shop at Defence colony, Porvorim totally worth around one lakh. 

 

In the police complaint, Sanjana Revankar, 30, a resident of Assagao, said that on May 15 at 11:30am an accused person entered her jewellery shop with an intention of stealing. 

 

While she was busy with the other customers, the accused stole a polythene bag containing 2 gold lockets of 12 grams, one mangalsutra 12 grams, 2 gold bangles 12 grams, 2 finger rings 5 grams, all worth 1,00,000 which was kept in the drawer.  [TOI]

 

A day after the Ponda witnessed a shortage of vegetables that led to a sharp price rise, some vendors managed to procure them from the neighbouring states. They claimed that limited stocks helped bring down the vegetables prices. [H]