Panaji: Following frequent traffic snarls being witnessed outside the Cujira school complex, especially at the start of each academic year, the public works department (PWD) will take up a project for “improvement of traffic circulation” at a cost of Rs 42.7 crore.
The detailed project report for the work has already been approved and the work will be funded by state govt.The project will cover a length of 2.2km and involve the construction of service roads, strengthening of existing service roads from Cujira junction to the Atal stadium underpass. The work will also cover beautification in front of the Goa Medical College along the NH-66.The Cujira school complex includes five schools and one college with over 6,500 students studying here from Class I level to graduation level.
These schools had been moved to Cujira in a project planned by former CM Manohar Parrikar to decongest the capital city during school opening and closing hours.However, after all the schools shifted to the complex, it led to increased traffic congestion at Cujira, defeating the very purpose. The issue is especially acute at the start of each academic year, when parents bring their own vehicles to drop off and pick up children.
A number of police personnel have to be deployed during this time at the complex to ensure the traffic flows.A separate exit was created from the complex recently, but the congestion issues have not been resolved.A Rs 14 crore redesign was planned to address the issue in 2019, but did not materialise.The Cujira school complex was first planned in 2001, by acquiring over one lakh sqm of land.Govt had acquired land and allotted 10,000sqm to each school on a lease of 99 years.
The condition was that land will be provided by the state and buildings will be constructed by individual schools at their own cost.However, as schools were left on their own to design their buildings, it led to them occupying almost all space for construction touching the service road. Most of the schools have not left any space for parking, or space for a drop off point for parents.
