Goa, Dec. 26 -- Therecent fall of 71-year-old Maria Delia de Abreu from her scooter on a damaged road in Taleigao has once again laid bare the fragile state of road infrastructure across Goa, bringing renewed scrutiny on the Public Works Department's failure to provide safe, pot hole-free roads. Despite a series of promises by PWD Minister Digambar Kamat since his induction into the Cabinet on August 21, road conditions across the State continue to remain far below acceptable standards, exposing commuters to daily risk and underscoring a widening gap between official claims and ground reality.

The latest assurance came as recently as November 22, when the minister announced that all potholes across Goa would be repaired with-in 15 days. ...