Goa: Traffic blues make comeback as schools reopen

Margao: Day one of the reopening of the city schools saw bumper-to-bumper traffic near and around the educational institutions on Monday, paralyzing traffic movement in certain areas, including in the heart of the town and near the Comba railway crossing.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Traffic Dharmesh Angle, PI Gautam Salunke and the entire staff were on the ground to regulate the traffic flow, but what was feared all along was there for all to see.

Hotel Woodland-Margao Police station road was choked with traffic as parents came in private vehicles to drop off their children at the city schools. As the traffic movement was affected in and around the Comba railway crossing after it was shut for the running of the trains, DySP Angle drafted traffic police personnel at the point to regulate the traffic flow.

“We are closely monitoring the situation. Since the schools have reopened and will be closed early for a week, we will work out a traffic plan by involving the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and the students to address the traffic blues,” DySP Angle said.

As a first measure, the Margao traffic cell will provide barricades to the Loyola school from Thursday, which will be manned by a head student and the parents in the morning to stop vehicles at Kitchenette from going towards the school side.

“Today, the parents approached the traffic cell for the barricades and we have decided to make it available on Tuesday. This is a good initiative from the school,” he added.

Since the schools have just reopened, the police have plans to engage with the school managements and the parents to explore the possibility of introducing staggered timings in the schools.