PONDA: The Durbhat-Adpoi-Agapur panchayat, in the last few decades, has failed to prevent enroachments on a four-kilometre stretch of road passing through the villages. The problem has become severe in the last 10 years, with the villages witnessing frequent traffic congestion at several places along the road.
Houses and compound walls have been built on either side of the road, leaving a narrow path for motorists to use. To add to the motorists’ woes, vehicles are parked on both sides of the road, narrowing it even further.
A bus driver, on condition of anonymity, said that four-wheeler and bus drivers face greater hardships while plying on the road, and they wasted a lot of time pulling over and waiting for oncoming vehicles to pass. As it is not wide enough to accomodate two buses, one bus usually has to reverse several meters to allow the other bus to pass.
Local Prashant Naik opined that a bypass road was needed to get rid of problem. He stated that it is difficult for emergency vehicles, such as fire tenders and ambulances, to reach or leave the accident site on time due to the noarrow road. He appealed to PWD Minister and Marcaim MLA Sudin Dhavalikar to construct a bypass in the panchayat area.
According to Durbhat-Adpoi-Agapur Sarpanch Ganpat Naik, the width of the roads was around 5 – 7 metres 40 years ago. After people started encroaching, the road was reduced to 3 metres. He said that as the issue has been frequently raised in the gram asbha, the panchayat has proposed a 4-kilometre road beside the Zuari river.
“The PWD Minister agreed to our proposal and assured to construct a road at the riverside from Durbhat to Agapur. However, the people and landlords will have to provide NOCs for early realisation of this parallel road. This road will also help boost tourist boating services in the Zuari river and generate employment for locals. Further, fishing activities can be encouraged in the agricultural land beside the river. Agriculture will not possible now on that land as mangroves have come up at all the fields situated on the river side,” said Naik.
He also informed that the foundation stone for a 1 MLD sewerage treatment plant had recently been laid at Durbhat by the PWD minister and it will help resolve the panchayat’s sewerage issue. He added that sewerage is presently flowing in an open area near a cluster of houses.
There is also a proposal to develop the village lake at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore. The development of the lake, which is 200 mts long and 80 mts wide, will help provide water for agriculture and bagayats and could also provide drinking water to the villagers.
