Panaji: Pre-monsoon showers brought relief from the scorching summer heat on Tuesday as the maximum temperature dropped by 2°C within a span of 24 hours. The temperature fell from 34.3°C on Monday to 32.4°C on Tuesday, leading to cooler conditions in the state capital.
Temperature Dip Explained
Meteorologist and retired chief scientist from the National Institute of Oceanography, M R Ramesh Kumar, attributed the dip to increased cloudiness and rainfall. "Pre-monsoon showers and increased cloudiness could have reduced the incoming solar radiation, thereby bringing down the maximum temperatures by around 2 degrees," he said. Overcast sky conditions, along with the showers, were the primary reasons behind the temperature fall. In Panaji, around 8.2mm of rainfall was recorded on Tuesday.
Weather Alert Extended
The India Meteorological Department has extended its yellow alert to May 20, warning of light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers likely during late evening or night hours. The thunderstorm may be accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) at isolated places over Goa. From May 21 to 23, light rainfall is expected, but dry weather conditions are likely to return on May 24 and 25. Kumar noted that pre-monsoon showers are highly sporadic and localised, so temperature variations could differ from place to place depending on rainfall intensity.
Road Digging Creates Peril
While the rain brought relief, excavation along a 6km stretch of the Old Goa-Pilar road to replace a decades-old water pipeline has turned the key link into a perilous route for motorists and pedestrians. The digging work from Azossim through Mandur and Neura to Pilar over the past few weeks has raised heavy dust in the villages. Locals welcomed the new pipeline but criticised the timing, saying the chances of proper road repairs before the monsoon appear bleak.
Damage and Disruption
The old pipeline frequently burst at various stretches in St Andre constituency, often disrupting water supply. Excavation along nearly half the road, with work alternating between the left and right sides, has badly damaged the carriageway and disrupted vehicular movement on the major district road connecting NH-66 with the Panaji-Ponda highway. A couple of years ago, the Azossim-Pilar stretch was dug up for underground power cabling. Only one side of the damaged road was later tarred, creating an uneven elevation.
Local activist Ramrao Wagh described the current situation: "Now the digging has created three dangerous levels: the recently tarred stretch, the untarred lower-level portion, and the newly dug trench-like section." With pre-monsoon activity increasing, fresh tarring work is yet to begin. "The chances appear bleak unless the work is taken up on a war footing and there are some dry days," Wagh added.
Some villagers blamed the Public Works Department (PWD) for not tarring the completed portions during summer. "At least a major stretch of the 11km Old Goa-Pilar link would have remained motorable," a local said.
