Rigorous police checks bring back traffic jams along Agassaim NH66 stretch

NT NETWORK

Vasco

With the police resorting to strict checking of most vehicles traversing along the NH66 stretch near the Agassaim police station in view of the lockdown in force in the state in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, traffic jams have returned to haunt motorists on both sides of the Zuari bridge during peak hours.

It has come to light that regular traffic jams are witnessed initially from 8.30 am to 10.30 am and in the evening from 5 pm to 7.30 pm for the last couple of days as the police personnel attached to the Agassaim police station conducts strict checking of every passing vehicle.

Vehicles moving from Cortalim to Panaji and vice versa are checked for violation of Motor Vehicles (MV) Act as well as to check if the occupants are maintaining social distancing for which they are checking if there are more occupants than those allowed in view of the lockdown.

“Routine checking of vehicles for documents, tinted glasses besides questioning of the drivers for his antecedents leads to traffic jams causing major inconvenience to the motorists,” said an aggrieved four-wheeler driver who was stopped for checking opposite the Agassaim police station by the police team which consisted of a police sub-inspector attached to the Agassaim police station on Thursday.

“Motorists are put to a lot of hardships as they are questioned for several minutes,” said the four-wheeler rider and recalling that some 40 days prior to the lockdown, similar situation was witnessed on both sides of the Zuari Bridge. He also said that the police need to ensure that the common people are not harassed in this time of crisis.