Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Dec 3: Goa’s battered road network is unlikely to see relief anytime soon, with the Public Works Department (PWD) officially running out of funds — effectively halting all new hot-mixing works across the State. Despite repeated assurances of swift post-monsoon repairs, the much-promised turnaround now appears nowhere in sight.

Over the past year, roads were dug up for water pipeline upgrades, underground cabling, sewerage expansion and gas line projects. When the early and prolonged monsoon hit, these stretches crumbled into deep potholes, leaving motorists and pedestrians to navigate hazardous routes. Several fatal accidents were linked directly to the State’s deteriorating roads, fuelling public anger.

Now, the situation has worsened. Senior officials confirmed a severe financial crunch within the PWD, freezing new hot-mixing works and pushing back major repair projects that citizens expected to begin after the monsoon.

A senior PWD engineer admitted that the department has exhausted its budget for the current financial year.

“Whatever is being hot-mixed now was sanctioned in the previous financial year. No fresh works can be taken up until new funds are available,” he said. He added that ongoing patch-ups — often criticised as cosmetic — are merely temporary measures to ensure minimum navigability.

A former top PWD official explained that road improvement announcements often overlook the most crucial step: Expenditure Sanction (ES) from the Finance Department.

“People think work begins once tenders are floated. But without ES, the PWD cannot legally spend even a rupee,” he said. Many projects, he added, remain stalled at this stage.

He further noted that while governments can borrow to advance urgent works, such exceptions are rare and typically limited to high-priority or politically sensitive projects.

PWD sources revealed that large-scale hot-mixing was planned immediately after the monsoon, but internal reviews in recent weeks confirmed depleted balances under key budget heads.

“People will have to be patient. We know conditions are bad, but without additional funds from the Finance Department, our hands are tied,” another official said.

With the festive season and peak tourism weeks approaching, stakeholders fear worsening congestion and rising safety risks due to the poor road conditions.

For now, Goa will have to settle for stopgap repairs — as the promise of smoother roads remains stalled, not by engineering hurdles, but by empty coffers.