With every calendar holidays, it brings the huge herd of tourists into the state, which invariably creates the traffic jam in northern coastal belts. Though many of the media blames the tourists for the traffic jam but it is the existing infrastructure which is more responsible for the prevailing conditions. Although this is the beginning of a peak season in Goa but there are hardly foreigners seen around the Calangute and Candolim belts it is only the flood of domestic tourist which is flocking in the state due to long weekend break which has resulted due to the Dussehra holidays.
According to the news published by various local newspapers, there was a traffic jam at the Calangute junction near St. Alex Church which resulted into a complete paralysis of traffic on the weekend. Saturday being Dussehra holiday thousands of tourists started pouring into the state from neighboring states, in the private vehicles resulting in the big-time traffic jam in Calangute. One could also witness a large number of outstation private vehicles parked on the road in a very random manner which created hazards to other travelers traveling to the coastal belts. In some of the cases, the vehicles parked right in the middle of the roads also caused minor accidents.
This also resulted into the boosting of business in the state as most of the hotels were reported to be fully packed and most of the food outlets were witnessed long queue outside. The sources have also revealed that most of the male tourists traveling from the neighboring states of Karnataka and Maharashtra were seen entering the state in big groups in their private vehicles seeking for an alcohol which is cheaper in the state comparing to those states.
This story is not only of this weekend but almost every weekend Goa witness the huge flocks of tourist coming down to the state in search of the feast, and that is only going to increase with the time. What is needed to be done is the development of proper infrastructure into the state which is lacking at the moment? Goa Tourism is doing everything to attract the tourist into the state without making sure that the infrastructure for them is in the place. Besides getting the infrastructure done, the Goa government needs to make sure that they are implementing systematic traffic plans for the tourist coming to Goa. It is very much obvious that the tourist is the guest into our state and they may or may not behave in a way we expect them to. It is the job of Government to make sure that things are in the place. It is only then everything will fall into the place. There won’t be any more traffic jams and more tourists would like to visit Goa in future generating more revenue to the tourism related businesses in Goa. What do you think about this? Do we really need to strengthen our infrastructure or not? How do you feel when you go to other states in India and they do not have the infrastructure in the place? Who is responsible for the traffic jams in north Goa? Please do leave your most valuable suggestions and comments on these issues.
Source: various sources
Edited by Goa Prism News Desk
