Panaji: The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) raised serious concerns about deteriorating road safety, traffic congestion, and chaotic parking affecting residents and business operations across the state.GCCI said daily traffic jams along DB Marg from Divja circle to the Panaji ferry point require govt’s attention. GCCI’s logistics committee chairman Chandrakant Gawas said the daily traffic jams are caused by irregular parking and blatant traffic violations.Gawas led a delegation to meet North Goa collector Ankit Yadav. The delegation reported that rent-a-cars and taxis parked indiscriminately across the city prevented parking access for citizens. It requested strict action against such drivers.Pointing to frequent accidents at Porvorim due to the ongoing flyover construction, GCCI demanded deployment of traffic police personnel, stricter speed monitoring, better road signage, and public awareness initiatives to ensure the safety of commuters.Just a day earlier, TOI had reported that two out of every three suspended driving licences in 2025 were due to helmet violations alone. Data shared by the directorate of transport showed that a total of 9,207 motorists lost their driving licences for varying traffic violations last year. The department’s data suggests that penalties alone have failed to instil discipline. Drink-driving resulted in 691 suspensions, while 663 drivers lost their licences for using mobile phones at the wheel. Speeding accounted for 469 cases of driving license suspension.The industry body also called for the establishment of designated truck termini in both North and South Goa to address severe traffic congestion and unregulated parking of heavy vehicles that choke city roads and commercial areas.Additionally, GCCI raised concerns about traffic restrictions on NH 66 impacting air cargo movement and operations. Gawas said that time-sensitive cargo such as pharmaceuticals, perishable food items, and e-commerce goods are suffering due to the ongoing construction activity in the state.GCCI sought alternative routes on NH 66 for heavy vehicles, trailer container trucks, and cargo vehicles moving to the state’s two airports.Yadav assured the delegation that GCCI’s concerns would be looked into and taken up with the departments concerned, if required.
Mumbai: Vehicles stuck in a traffic congestion on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after a gas tanker overturned in the Khandala Ghat section. Vehicles remained stationary near the accident site overnight, leaving passengers, including women and children, without food, water, or toilet facilities. (PTI Photo)(PTI02_04_2026_000270B)
