Hon’ble Tourism Minister & Porvorim MLA Shri Rohan A. Khaunte flags Atal Setu access issues, seeks urgent fixes to Porvorim corridor
Writes to CM over traffic bottlenecks, unsafe junctions; seeks better entry-exit points for residents
Panaji: Hon’ble Tourism Minister & Porvorim MLA Shri Rohan A. Khaunte has written to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant seeking urgent intervention to address access and road safety concerns faced by residents following the development of the Atal Setu and the Porvorim 6-lane Elevated Corridor.
In his letter, Khaunte has called for improved entry and exit points to the bridge, traffic signal installation at a key junction, restoration of roads beneath the flyover and stronger enforcement measures. He has stressed that while the new infrastructure is intended to ease congestion along the Panaji–Mapusa corridor, it must also ensure convenient connectivity and safe movement for Porvorim residents.
The letter follows a high-level meeting held at Mantralaya on September 21, attended by the Chief Minister, PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, Deputy Speaker Joshua D’Souza and senior officials from the concerned departments. While acknowledging the directions issued during the meeting, Khaunte has pointed to several issues that, he said, require priority attention and follow-up.
A key demand is for convenient access to the Atal Setu for Porvorim residents, including appropriate entry points and an exit into Porvorim near the Majestic Hotel junction. The letter states that residents should not have to take long or circuitous routes to access the bridge or travel towards Mapusa and other destinations.
Shri Rohan A. Khaunte has also sought the installation of a functional traffic signal at the junction where vehicles from the Porvorim flyover merge into local traffic and vehicles heading towards the Atal Setu ascend onto the bridge. The junction has been identified as a point requiring better traffic regulation to improve the movement of vehicles and reduce potential safety risks.
The letter further calls for expediting the procurement of additional land belonging to the local comunidade near the Neo Majestic Hotel to facilitate the widening of a bottleneck along the six-lane corridor. It also seeks the repair and resurfacing of junction roads beneath the elevated flyover, with rumble strips at appropriate intersections to regulate vehicle speeds.
On road safety and enforcement, Khaunte has called for prominent signage warning two-wheeler riders against using the Atal Setu, in keeping with existing restrictions. He has also proposed reflective illumination strips on structural barricades to improve visibility at night, along with AI-enabled surveillance and speed-detection cameras to strengthen enforcement and detect traffic violations.
The Shri Rohan A. Khaunte has additionally recommended departmental trials under the supervision of the Directorate of Transport and the Traffic Police before the final traffic arrangements are implemented permanently. He has called for simple video guides to be circulated on social media to help commuters understand revised traffic layouts and correct lane usage.
The Atal Setu and the Porvorim Elevated Corridor are important infrastructure projects intended to improve connectivity and ease congestion. However, their success must also be measured by how effectively they serve the people of Porvorim. Residents should not have to contend with inconvenient access, unsafe junctions or avoidable traffic bottlenecks. The letter states that Khaunte has taken up the concerns with the Chief Minister and urged the concerned departments to prioritise the necessary interventions, particularly the provision of safe entry and exit points, improved traffic regulation and enhanced road safety measures.
The letter urges the concerned departments to implement the measures on priority, reiterating that traffic arrangements must balance the movement of through-traffic with local connectivity, pedestrian safety and the everyday requirements of Porvorim residents and businesses.
