PONDA: Commuting on Ponda-Belagavi national highway is now likely to become hassle-free and accident free as work on the approach road of new Khandepar Bridge has been completed after six years.
The traffic passing on the national highway will not enter Opa-Khandepar junction, once the bridge is opened to the public. This will make the area an accident free zone.
PWD authorities and the contractor said they are trying to finish the approach road work by May-end. The hotmix carpeting on approach road is likely to begin in the next few days and by May-end all works would be completed.
The Opa road junction has become an accident prone zone due to long pending approach road and highway works.
Locals had suffered great hardship for the past many years at Opa- Khandepar junction as NH traffic used to pass through the service roads at Opa junction due to the incomplete bridge, causing chaos and accidents.
It may be recalled that the new bridge was inaugurated in 2018, without the approach road towards Ponda side as one house owner objected to the approach road passing through his property. Later the issue was resolved in court, but it took six long years for the road to come through.
Sandeep Parkar, a local social worker said, “The completed bridge would bring great relief to Khandepar villagers as from May-end, traffic on Ponda-Belgavi highway will pass directly from new Khandepar bridge, without entering Opa junction through service roads.”
He said that this junction would become an accident free zone as only local traffic would ply from the junction. This would provide relief to commuters and pedestrians.
He also urged the government to install solar-powered street lights in the area to provide illumination at night for the safety of commuters.
