TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Sunday’s early morning accident on the NH-17 at Bendulem-Balli triggered outrage, with motorists and citizens calling for the widening of the national highway between the accident prone stretch between Balli and Barcem.
As news of the truck-goods carrier head on collision spread across Balli and Cuncolim, motorists wondered why the government is dilly dallying on the widening of the Balli-Barcem stretch of the NH-17 which has become a death trap and accident prone zone.
A citizen of Cuncolim, Firoz Sheik wondered why the government has not taken up the NH widening project when so many accidents have taken place between the Balli and Barcem stretch in recent months. “You may find even some of the internal roads in Cuncolim wide than the NH-17. The government should look into the road safety of motorists on the highway on a priority basis”, Firoz said.
A resident of Margao Sheikh Abdul Kadar told Herald that the Sunday accident should come as an eye opener to the government to take up widening of the highway and ensure road safety. “So many accidents have taken place on the highway in recent times. The government should take a close look”, he said.
A resident of Balli, Prashant Naik said that the PWD had in the past planned to take up widening of the Balli-Barcem stretch of the highway, but the same is yet to be implemented. “The Balli-Barcem stretch of the NH-17 has witnessed so many accidents over the years, but the ground reality remains unchanged. Sunday accident should open the eyes of the government and the PWD”, he said.
Motorists demanded that the government should go for land acquisition of the required land if NOCs are not forthcoming from the owners.
A couple of months ago, a Naphtha tanker had turned turtle at the sharp turn at Balli, bringing to the fore the narrow stretch of the road along the Balli-Barcem highway.
