MAPUSA: One of the long-pending demands of villagers of Anjuna has finally been fulfilled as the work on new wider Tito culvert has been completed by PWD, however, it has been more than 20 days and the culvert is yet to be thrown open to public.
It has been more than 17 years that the villagers were demanding reconstruction of the Portuguese-era culvert as it was not sufficient to handle the vehicular load. Due to narrow width of the culvert, there used to be congestion at the spot
During peak hours and especially, on Wednesday flee market day, during season time traffic congestion used to be a major problem for the locals. In this regard, even Anjuna panchayat had send several reminders. The culvert was constructed during Portuguese era and since then no maintenance of it was carried out.
In the month of January, public works department issued work order for reconstruction of the Tito culvert and the work was carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 49.23 lakh.
Hanumant Govekar, a local, said that “the culvert is important for the people of Anjuna, hence, for the last so many years we had been demanding its reconstruction. Finally our wish has been fulfilled. We request the government to throw it open to the public.”
Another villager said that “the culvert is ready for almost 20-25 days. We waited for so many years for work to be undertaken and now that work is completed but we have to wait for its inauguration.”
Local panch Narayan Mayekar claimed that “the culvert will be thrown open by the end of month as currently some work of retaining wall is remaining.”
When contacted executive engineer Brahmanand Naik on why the culvert is yet to be inaugurated, he disclosed that “initially it was not opened as the approach road was not ready but now it will be inaugurated by May 26.”