Panaji: Traffic chaos marred the much-awaited opening of Goa’s elevated corridor at Porvorim on Friday, with motorists forced to wait for nearly three hours. Scheduled to open at 4pm, it was finally open around 6pm.Motorists began queuing up as early as 3pm, eager to be among the first to drive through the new facility. However, the delay in opening triggered severe congestion on multiple approaches to the corridor, leaving motorists stranded for hours.“Traffic coming from Panaji towards Porvorim was diverted through the service road, while vehicles coming from the Atal Setu were moving towards the flyover. There was an opening where traffic heading towards Porvorim met the service lane, and the entire stretch became heavily congested,” a motorist said.The situation was further complicated for traffic approaching from the Mapusa side. Vehicles coming down from the flyover and heading towards Panaji had to turn towards the Atal Setu and service road, while vehicles from Porvorim heading towards the Atal Setu were also using the same junction.“That intersection became confusing because traffic from different directions was converging at the same point. There were no traffic police personnel to manage the movement, so motorists were trying to regulate the traffic themselves. Vehicles were also speeding, making the situation worse,” a working professional from Panaji said.The congestion reportedly extended towards the Atal Setu, with vehicles lined up near the stretch parallel to the high court and along the roundabout approach road.“It was a very bad situation. So much so that even two-wheelers couldn’t pass. Yet, people were excited despite the delay and traffic. We were still happy to get onto the flyover and experience the new facility,” a Merces resident said.Despite the chaotic start, the opening generated considerable excitement among motorists keen to experience the new corridor.Margao MLA Digambar Kamat was present during the opening and interacted with motorists. In a gesture that drew attention from those waiting, Kamat gifted roses to motorists and shook hands with them as vehicles began moving through the corridor.
