PONDA: In the view of Shapur-Bandora junction near Safa Masjid, Ponda becoming a hotspot for road accidents, PWD (Buildings and Roads) has begun the work to build an underpass from KTC bus stand to Bandora.
Many vehicles, especially passenger buses, would take U-turn near Safa Masjid which would confuse the motorists travelling on Curti-Ponda bypass road on Panjim-Ponda-Belgaum National Highway. The work on the underpass is expected to be completed by April end.
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According to sources, a 40-metre-long underpass connecting the KTC stand with Bandora village will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 5-6 crore. The department has acquired the land and has also removed some gaddas. A service road will be built before commencing the construction of the underpass. The underpass will be 22-metre wide and 9-metre long facilitating a safer route for motorists from Bandora, Shapur and Chirpute. The locals from these villages had protested in front of Safa Masjid demanding an underpass when Curti-Ponda bypass was opened for traffic around five years ago.
“The underpass will resolve vehicular confusion for people from Chirpute and Shapur who were taking unsafe and unauthorised U-turns near the Masjid,” said Bandora’s former sarpanch Rajesh Naik.
“Despite putting the barricades at the junction, the motorists, especially private bus drivers, would remove them and continue to jeopardise the lives of others by taking U-turn,” said Traffic PI Krushna Sinari.
PWD road division’s assistant engineer Anand Vaghurmekar said that the underpass will be built at an estimated cost of 5 to 6 crore. “The work will begin shortly and the national highway will be widened too. It is expected to finish by the end of April,” he said.
