Team Herald
PONDA: The locals from Mapa in Panchawadi panchayat of Shiroda constituency are up in arms against the proposed road widening in their village, claiming that they were not taken into confidence or consulted about the move. The villagers questioned the proposed road widening project that will go through their properties, as they claim there is no traffic congestion on the said road.
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The locals said they were verbally informed by some sources that the road is going to be widened by 15 metres, while others believe the road may become 20 to 40 metres wide, but nobody knows the exact details about how much it will be extended. The villagers alleged that the government had proposed jetties in their village, presumably to facilitate coal handling and fear that the road widening project is part of a sinister agenda to make the village a coal hub.
“We will not allow this to happen. Last year, we had taken a gram sabha resolution against this as well,” said the locals, who put up a united front as they gathered at Mapa to discuss the issue.“
We learnt about the plan to widen the road, when some surveyors recently started demarcating land six-to-seven metres inside the compound walls of our properties adjoining the road. We are clueless about how much land the government plans to acquire,” said a local resident.
