SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Santosh Naik, Ponda
PONDA: It’s now five years, the Pondaites are struggling to get rid of pothole-ridden roads, which are posing risk to commuters’ life, but there is no respite despite their continuous demands to improve the road condition.
With potholes everywhere, Ponda true to its name really becomes a “Town of Fonds” (craters). Several bike riders have been injured from falls into the potholes, rough and unlevelled roads. This prevailing condition is leading to “bone breaking” experience. The chamber covers and roads level are uneven. The road at Upper Bazaar is in worst condition and bumpy. Locals not only from Ponda but also from surrounding panchayats jurisdiction in the taluka are waiting for “achhe din” to the main roads passing through their areas. But there is no sign of road hot-mix carpeting.
Instead Pondaites are fed up to see worsen condition of roads every year after the rains. With passing of each season, size of craters on the main roads is enlarged in Ponda town and panchayats areas causing more trouble to the commuters. The government has cleared its policy to hot-mix the road only after completion of sewerage network. However, the sewerage work is slowly progressing. Every time, it is said that the tenders for road hot-mix carpeting are ready but for that sewerage work needs to be completed.
A Ponda local Vishal Fadte said that it has been five years now the sewerage pipelines and other works are progressing in the town.
Recently, PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar had assured to complete the sewerage work by May and restore all the roads in the town with hot-mix carpeting. But sadly, the sewerage work is still progressing in the rainy season.
