Traffic jams on Ribandar causeway raises ire (ToI)

TNN | Oct 29, 2014, 12.23 AM ISTPANAJI: Despite a smooth Panaji-Old Goa bypass being created, heavy vehicles and tourist buses continue to ply along the narrow Ribandar causeway, giving rise to long traffic jams, frequent accidents and also putting pressure on the already weak road.

Touted as one of Asia's longest bridges at 3.2km, the causeway is an important link between the village of Ribandar and Panaji.

Daily traffic jams and the long hours spent crawling through bumper-to-bumper traffic add to the ire of commuters who are desperate to either reach office or go home after a long day's work.

"It (traffic jams) is a minor mistake of somebody else, but, it evokes a strong response; anger or frustration, which could be deflected onto somebody else," said Prachi Khandeparkar, a clinical psychologist.

Lack of lane discipline and speeding bikers also create an additional problem and errant driving ends up slowing down traffic in general, sources said.

While traffic officials are often seen managing traffic towards the Panaji end, many commuters felt it was not enough and more needed to be done.

Traffic cameras were meant to be installed along the Ponte Conde de Linhares causeway, as it is known, to help check reckless driving and overspeeding.

The public works department (PWD) on its part had banned heavy vehicles from using the 380-year-old road, while simultaneously imposing a speed limit of 40 kmph to reduce accidents following signs of heavy damage, especially after the collapse of a culvert at the Ribandar end.

But, heavy trucks and tourist buses are often seen flouting this rule, thereby creating traffic jams and posing a risk to smaller vehicles.

Earlier this year, the PWD had built a support structure for a 50m sagging portion of the bridge after cracks developed on the southern lane of the bridge.

"I get stuck at one place for a lot of time. There can be many bike accidents during traffic jams. People do not follow the traffic rules," said Glendy Saldanha, an IHM student from Corlim.
  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Traffic-jams-on-Ribandar-causeway-raises-ire/articleshow/44964681.cms