Panaji: A day after two persons died in a multi-vehicle accident on the new six-lane elevated corridor at Porvorim, PWD minister Digambar Kamat inspected the accident site and reviewed the traffic flow. Following the inspection, the PWD issued an order banning the movement of all two-wheelers on the elevated corridor.The ban was immediately implemented as also the closure of all entry and exits on the bridge approach towards Hotel Majestic side, making vehicles mandatorily take the Atal Setu on exiting the flyover at Hotel Majestic. Vehicles getting onto the flyover at Guirim will only be able to exit at Merces now and not in Porvorim near Majestic.Kamat said that the temporary ban for two-wheelers and closure of the entry and exits is necessitated to prevent any further mishaps till a permanent solution to regulate traffic movement on the new corridor is worked out.After his review, Kamat said that he reviewed the CCTV footage of the accident which took place on Saturday, just a day after the corridor opened for vehicles. He said that the footage clearly shows that the car driver involved in the accident was speeding and driving in rash and negligent manner.“In order to assess and monitor the actual traffic movement, traffic pattern, congestion levels, and operational performance of the elevated corridor after its opening, it is considered necessary to implement certain temporary traffic restrictions and observe the resulting traffic flow on the corridor and the surrounding road network. It is proposed to prohibit the movement of two-wheelers on the six-lane corridor, Porvorim, and to close all entry and exit points/accesses towards the Atal Setu side, until further notice, so as to enable proper monitoring and assessment of traffic movement,” PWD executive engineer Gajanan Desai said in an order later in the evening.The two-wheelers will be diverted below the elevated corridor.The entry and exit points on Atal Setu side will remain closed except for access specifically permitted by the authorities for emergency or essential services.“The traffic authorities shall monitor and record the traffic volume, travel time, queue length, congestion, diversion patterns, and any other relevant traffic parameters on the elevated corridor and the adjoining road network during the said period. Adequate traffic signs, barricades, blinkers, delineators shall be deployed by the EPC agency at appropriate locations to ensure safe and orderly movement of traffic and to guide road users towards the designated alternate routes,” the PWD order states.The restrictions will be reviewed from time to time based on the traffic data and field assessment, and further action regarding continuation, modification or withdrawal of the restrictions will be taken, said Dessai.Meanwhile, another accident occurred on the corridor on Sunday morning, leading to minor injuries to a two-wheeler rider, before the restrictions were put in force.
