Team Herald
VASCO: A major landslide was reported on the newly constructed four-lane Varunapuri to Mormugao Port connectivity road at Bogda on Saturday morning.
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Several huge boulders and debris fell on one side of the road, but fortunately, no one was injured in this incident on the busy thoroughfare.
The road has been temporarily barricaded and closed for vehicular traffic due to the possibility of more landslides. According to locals, a minor landslide had occurred in the same area about a month ago, which has now escalated into a major landslide as huge boulders and rocks came tumbling down onto the road.
Residents expressed concern that another landslide could potentially bring down the Christian cemetery, Hindu crematorium, and Muslim kabrastan situated adjacent to the road. “There is a disaster waiting to happen if preventive measures are not taken immediately,” said a local resident.
Vasco Traffic Cell PI Shailesh Narvekar, who rushed to the spot, informed that traffic has been diverted to a single road until the debris is cleared. Highway authorities have deployed earth-moving machinery to clear the boulders and debris from the road.
Traffic police and staff from the Mormugao police station have been deployed to ensure the smooth flow of traffic along the highway, PI Narvekar added.
Meanwhile, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, who also visited the landslide site, announced that a retaining wall would be constructed soon at the location to prevent further landslides. A joint meeting of all authorities concerned has been convened for Monday, August 26, to review the situation and find a permanent solution to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, he said.
Amonkar also stated that he has requested the authorities to close down the entire road at night from midnight to 6 am to prevent any risks to motorists who may be unaware of the landslide on the busy highway. He has also appealed to the public to avoid using the road until the monsoon subsides.
