Tuem, Pernem | November 4, 2025:
Just three days after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) highlighted the deplorable condition of the Tuem IDC road through a live video, the government has initiated pothole-filling work using a jetpatcher machine. While welcoming the swift response, AAP leader Suvarna Harmalkar has called for complete recarpeting of the road, warning that short-term patchwork will not offer a lasting solution.
Speaking from the site, Harmalkar said, “On November 1st, we had shown the poor state of this road and demanded urgent repairs. Within three days, work has begun — this shows the strength of people’s voice. But this jetpatcher work is a temporary fix. Crores of rupees worth of tenders have been issued for road works in Pernem taluka — where has that money gone? The road must be properly recarpeted.”
She criticized the government for what she termed as “quick-fix governance” and questioned the Chief Minister’s earlier promise to repair all roads within 15 days. “If this patchwork is what the CM meant by road repairs, then it’s a mockery of that assurance. Spending crores on tenders while relying on jetpatcher machines is simply wasting public money,” Harmalkar said.
Highlighting Goa’s monsoon-prone conditions, she added that the jetpatcher method offers only temporary relief. “These patches wash away after one spell of rain. We need durable roads, not cosmetic patchwork,” she stated, demanding that the Tuem IDC road and other major roads in Pernem be fully recarpeted.
Harmalkar further remarked that the quick start of works following AAP’s exposure proves that public pressure is working. “People’s voice has power. The government acts only when questioned. But Goans deserve quality infrastructure, not eyewash repairs.”
AAP has vowed to keep a close watch on the ongoing work and warned that if the government continues with temporary solutions, the party will take to the streets to ensure taxpayers’ money is not squandered on substandard roadwork.
