Strange it may seem but true that a contractor has completed work of illumination along the Margao ring road in all respects, but the illumination is not commissioned for want of government’s expenditure sanction.
If motorists and pedestrians using the Comba-Old Market ring road come across illumination lamps along the stretch and still find the road in darkness, blame it on the delay in obtaining expenditure sanction from the government.
In fact, it will be three months since work on the illumination of the Comba-Old Market ring road was completed by the contractor, but the lights are not yet switched on for want of sanction.
If senior power officials are to be believed, the Electricity department had tendered the work of illumination of the Comba ring road stretch, connecting Margao to the Old Market area after following the laid-down procedure.
Later, the department shortlisted the contractor as per the norms in place and in its anxiety to get the road illuminated right on time for the Diwali festival, celebrated as the Festival of Lights, Power officials told the contractor to execute the work on a war footing assuming the expenditure sanction will come from the government as a matter of formality.
The contractor, sources said, took up work on priority around mid-September, raising hopes the ring road stretch will be illuminated during the National Games inaugural ceremony at the Nehru stadium at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but in vain.
When asked about the Comba ring road project and the delay in commissioning the illumination lamps, Superintending Engineer Rajeev Samant confirmed that the work on the project is complete. However, he added that the project could not be commissioned till date due to certain procedural requirements that still need to be fulfilled.
As motorists and pedestrians continue to navigate the Comba-Old Market ring road in darkness, several questions arise regarding the delay in obtaining the necessary expenditure sanction from the government. The completion of the project three months ago raised hopes that the illuminated road would enhance safety and visibility for all users, especially during the festive season.
The contractor, who diligently carried out the work on a war footing, was primed to provide a vibrant and well-lit ring road for the National Games inaugural ceremony, but the absence of government sanction seems to have dashed those expectations.
Residents and commuters are now left in the dark, quite literally, as they traverse the unilluminated stretch. The lack of clarity surrounding the completion of the project and the delay in obtaining government sanction raises concerns about the efficiency and transparency in the process.
With the upcoming festive season and the anticipation of increased traffic on the ring road, the need for immediate attention to this matter becomes even more pressing. The government must swiftly address the delay and provide the necessary expenditure sanction to finally commission the illumination lamps along the Comba-Old Market ring road.
Until then, motorists and pedestrians must remain cautious and patient while navigating the dimly lit stretch, as they await the much-needed illumination that has already been installed but remains inactive due to bureaucratic hurdles.
