PANAJI: Citizens for Democracy Goa has called for an immediate independent engineering and road-safety audit of the ongoing NH-66 drainage and elevated footpath works at Cuncolim, citing concerns over the safety of motorists and pedestrians.
Addressing the media, organisation representative Elvis Gomes said repeated representations had been made to the Chief Minister, PWD Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), but the organisation had not received an acknowledgement.
According to Gomes, the Cuncolim stretch has several safety concerns, including a narrow paved area, inadequate protective barriers, the close proximity of the drainage structure to the highway and visibility-related issues.
He said a road accident involving a car and motorcycle at Cuncolim on September 20 had once again brought attention to the safety of the stretch.
Gomes also referred to the recent fatal accident on the Porvorim elevated corridor, following which the Goa government sought technical recommendations from IIM Nagpur. He questioned why a similar independent assessment could not be carried out at Cuncolim before a major tragedy occurs.
Citizens for Democracy Goa has proposed that NIT Goa conduct an independent engineering audit, pointing out that the institute’s campus is located along the NH-66 corridor.
The organisation also highlighted the fatal Bambolim accident of November 2025, in which Sepak Takraw Federation of India president Yogender Singh Dahiya and international referee Ankit Baliyan were killed after a tanker crossed the road divider and collided with their vehicle.
Gomes said the Bambolim incident demonstrated the need for preventive road-safety assessments rather than measures being introduced only after accidents occur.
“Safety cannot become a post-mortem exercise,” Gomes said, questioning whether authorities should wait for a fatal accident before reviewing the Cuncolim works.
Citizens for Democracy Goa has urged the authorities to commission an independent technical assessment of the NH-66 works and implement corrective safety measures based on its findings.
