PONDA: It is a bumpy ride for Pondaites commuting on the roads in the taluka due to pathetic condition.
The taluka residents say they have no problem in paying fines for violating traffic rules but their main concern is bad road condition.
Hanumant Naik, a resident said there are many roads dug for sewerage work and though some works are completed, the roads are not properly restored. Most roads have turned bad on account of digging work. It has been a painful journey for last four years due to incomplete work but nobody is concerned or bothered about the bad roads in Ponda which lead to accidents.
Until the roads are hot-mixed, the riders want the concerned authority to at least fill the potholes, which they claim has been neglected. When issued fines for traffic violations, the riders, however, claim that when the issue with regards to bad roads is raised, the traffic police evade answering their questions.
The riders claim that the traffic police have now shifted their focus from the town to villages to issue fines for traffic violations.
In one such drive, the traffic police were busy issuing fines at Donkhamb in Kavlem Panchayat to riders for helmetless riding and for parking vehicles in no parking zones, the riders complained.
“We have no problem in paying fines for not wearing helmets and other violations but when we point out to the bad roads the authorities fail to provide satisfactory replies. We are paying the fines for driving on road but are the roads motorable, questioned Nikhil Naik, a commuter.
“The traffic officials say road maintenance is not their duty as the other department looks after them,” he added.
