Over a decade ago the government constructed three bypasses from the outskirts of Ponda town – from Dhavali to Farmagudi, Maruti Temple to Curti and Bethora to Borim – to divert heavy traffic on the National Highway and stop it from entering and wending its way through the congested town. Despite this, the traffic chaos on Ponda’s main road during the peak morning and evening hours, especially around the time schools close, has not eased.
Even though there is no heavy traffic in the town, the number of other vehicles, especially four-wheelers and mini buses, has increased tremendously.
Traffic jams are a regular feature at Upper Bazaar market complex, Tisk road, near Almeida High School, near the fire services, police station. All these areas are located within a radius of half a kilometre from Ponda bus stand.
Long queues of vehicles are seen at peak hours on all these roads with vehicles moving at a snail’s pace. Ponda residents claim that the congestion is mainly because there is no proper traffic management. Hundreds of parents drive into the town to drop and pickup up their children, causing congestion on the narrow roads that lack sufficient parking space.
What adds to the morning traffic are, buses coming from Usgao that enter the city bus stand via the market route instead of using the diversion behind Vithoba Temple. They also carry students in the driver’s cabin.
According to Ponda Municipal Council councillor Venktesh Naik a few shops at Ponda bus stand on the roadside should be shifted elsewhere so that buses driving on the main road will not disturb traffic. He said, “Shopkeepers, school authorities, bus operators should cooperate to decongest Ponda. Having basement parking can be a one option to solve the problem.”
Some reasons for the traffic congestion is roadside parking due to limited space for parking compared to the number of vehicles especially cars and two-wheelers on the roads. Buses plying from Ponda bus stand halt several times in the town holding up traffic. After school hours in order to help students cross the road police stop traffic for two to three minutes, often many times in a 30-minute period leading to traffic congestion. Because of the traffic congestion, the road in front of Ponda Fire Station is also congested.
One manner in which some space can be cleared on the roads is if parking in the market basement is allowed. Ponda resident Viraj Sapre said, “There is lot of space in the basement of the market which needs to be opened for public. Around 200 vehicles can be parked there but it is not utilized even though the project was inaugurated four years ago. Footpaths occupied in the market should also be cleared.”
Residents say that the police, PMC and local politicians should sit together to arrive at a solution. They suggest that traffic should not be allowed to enter the main road at Varkhandem and Khadpaband during the rush hours. This will not create a problem for motorists as there are other roads for them to drive on.
