[Goanet] Six Lanes to Hell

[Rajan P. Parrikar]

To Goanet -

The usual political suspects in Goa have thrown their weight behind the 
creation of a new 6-lane highway. Like the proposed Special Ghati Zones 
this, too, is a terrible mistake.

You ought to ask yourself who exactly is supporting these projects.  At the 
head of the list is the leading corruptician (my portmanteau word for the 
corrupt politician) of our times, Dayanand Narvekar.

We should be thinking of ways to reduce motorized traffic and curtail our 
carbon emissions, not increase them.  Everyone talks about the need for 
spanking new roads.  Nobody talks about cultivating road manners and road 
culture, something that would enhance the quality of life much more than the 
pouring of fresh asphalt.  The 6-lane highway will transform Goa - coastal 
Goa, at any rate - into one indistinguishable contiguous urban mass.  The 
damage would be incalculable and irreversible.

Among the several factors that has placed Goa on the fast track to doom is 
its easy accessibility, particularly in the past 5 years.  The Dilli savage 
now has a choice of flights from sunrise until sunset.  A slew of trains is 
now on offer for the ghati from Bihar or AP.  Getting into Goa has never 
been easier.  It is akin to having the doors of your house open and 
unguarded at all times. With the 6-lane highway we will have knocked down 
the walls, too.

Warm regards,

r