PONDA: Bandora Village Panchayat on Tuesday strongly demanded the government to install traffic signal system and ensure safety measures at the newly inaugurated Curti Bypass as it has become an accident prone zone and confusion and chaos prevails at the junction.
There are at least three junctions, one at GVM Circle, other at Safa Masjid and third at the road to military camp near underpass. Though at some places traffic police are deputed, the situation is chaotic as they can’t control all junctions at a time.
Chief Minister inaugurated the bypass recently while local panchayat and MLA had boycotted the function for lack of safety measures suggested by the panchayat.
Addressing to the media, Bandora Panchayat member Rajesh Naik said, “Even before the inauguration, past six months, the locals and Bandora Panchayat had demanded to install traffic signal and other safety measures on this highway. However, the government inaugurated it ignoring the panchayat demand.”
“There is RTO office and KTC bus stand by the side of national highway, but after highway opening, several vehicles proceeding to Chirputem, RTO office and KTC bus stand are forced to travel an extra two kms and most of this vehicles in order to avoid this long distance take dangerous and prohibited U-Turn at Safa Masjid Junction leading to chaos and confusion which can invite accidents,” Rajesh said.
Further, the private buses had warned to charge Rs 5 extra as they are forced to travel extra distance after closure of Safa Masjid Junction.
Marcaim MLA Sudin Dhavalikar had suggested on Monday that if National Highway Authority of India can’t install traffic signal then it should give NOC to Bandora Panchayat for the installation of the same.
He said, “If no safety measures are taken at the junction it would become an accident prone zone.”
