New guidelines for road contractors in Mapusa

Mapusa: The Mapusa municipal council (MMC) is formulating guidelines for contractors and government departments carrying out work that involves damaging existing roads.
Constant digging of roads in the name of ‘development of infrastructure’ will now be under stringent guidelines. Presently most roads in Mapusa have been dug up for various works and are left unattended putting the public at inconvenience.Sources said that as per the new rules any work involving digging of roads should be implemented without causing inconvenience to the public. This rule is hardly followed in Goa.
MMC chairperson Sandip Falari said that he had already put the matter before Mapusa MLA and deputy chief minister Francis D’Souza. Falari added that he had convened his idea to the councillors and they have given the go ahead.
Usually government departments or the contractor does not keep the deposit money required for the repair of the road with the PWD and therefore bringing the roads back to its original condition become difficult.
“Strict rules and guidelines will be laid down and the contractor working on the road will have to strictly adhere to them; it will include depositing the money for the repair of the damaged road. Digging of roads in Mapusa will not be left haywire,” Falari said.
The JICA project is progressing, albeit at a slow pace, at Mapusa. Sources said that the project work at Mapusa is 60% complete and is expected to be commissioned by the December-end. Over 16km of the total 25km of sewer network at Mapusa is complete, said sources. The condition of the roads where the sewer lines have been laid like the Khorlim bypass, Morod, police station road are very bad. Authorities have failed to restore the roads to its original condition.
“I will not allow digging of more roads in Mapusa by any department or contractor before the already damaged roads are repaired,” Falari said.
The work on the laying of the two additional cable lines from Tivim station to Mapusa sub-station is also under way. It had left the roads dug up and unfilled in Mapusa.
Falari said that he will put the proposal formally before the council meeting and all the rules will be framed in consultation with members. Falari added that he had a meeting with the PWD and the electricity department officials and have asked that all road repair works be complete.