PONDA: Borim villagers have been grappling with major traffic congestion
on the National Highway passing through their village for over a decade now. They are demanding immediate government intervention to alleviate the traffic congestion issues.
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According to villagers, the traffic on this road originates from Karwar and Belgaum. The increasing number of vehicles has led to long queues of traffic on the main road, particularly during rush hour. This congestion divides the village into parts, making it challenging for residents to even cross the road to buy groceries. Senior citizens have expressed concern over the dug-up parts of the road, exacerbating the traffic problems and causing blockages.
Former Panch member Vinay Parpati highlighted the hardships faced by people due to the growing traffic on the narrow main road. He mentioned fatalities and injuries resulting from accidents on this road, including the recent death of a local after his bike collided with a tanker. Traffic queues on the road cause delays for people traveling from internal roads to the main road, especially during school hours when parents struggle to drop off and pick up their children.
The new connectivity road from Verna Industrial Estate through Borim has worsened the traffic situation, with even emergency vehicles like 108 ambulances finding it difficult to manoeuvre through the congestion. Parpati called for widening the six-metre road acquired by the government a decade ago from Topcola-Borim to Sakwar. He also called for the construction of a new bypass to alleviate traffic congestion in the village.
“Bus stops should be located on the sides of roads to prevent traffic blocks caused by buses stopping to pick up or drop off passengers,” he pointed out. Additionally, he emphasised the need for attention to the dilapidated old Portuguese-era culvert at Topcola for the safety of road-users.
