PONDA: Left with no access road, at least 200 protesting locals of Chirputem, Bandora, on Sunday threatened to boycott the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if the government failed to construct an underpass or install a traffic signal system at the Safa Masjid junction near Ponda’s KTC bus terminus.
They had earlier given the government a six-month deadline to initiate the project, but despite repeated protests, nothing was done to address their concerns.
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In the absence of an approach road to and from Chirputem, the Safa Masjid junction has turned into something of a death-trap as many motorists prefer to take an unauthorised U-turn at the junction to avoid travelling an additional 2km from the GVM circle to reach their homes at Chirputem.
Former sarpanch Rajesh Naik explained that when the national highway was expanded into a four-lane thoroughfare four years ago, the decades-old access road at Chirputem was closed without an alternative provision made for the locals to get to frequented areas in their locality, including the KTC bus stand which houses the RTO’s office.
Naik said that while they were assured of an underpass when the NH was being widened, the government failed to keep its promise to them, exposing people to a risk of accidents.
“The people were once told by the authorities concerned that an underpass could not be constructed at the Safa Masjid junction as the Archaeological Survey of India had opposed it to protect the masjid, which is a heritage site. Safa Masjid is a heritage site, but so many constructions have come up in the area and one underpass has even been built 100 metres away, so why is the government opposing our demand for either and underpass or traffic signal system?”Naik asked.
