Team Herald
PONDA: With National Highway expansion work underway at Farmagudi, residents of Ponda have renewed their demand for urgent intervention at the GVM circle — a known accident-prone spot — to improve road safety and prevent further fatalities.
Local resident Viraj Sapre pointed out that several accidents, including fatal ones, have occurred at the GVM circle over the years. “There is an urgent need for a proper engineering review of this black spot. After the GVM circle, there's a downward slope leading to the KTC underpass, which also needs attention,” he said.
Sapre noted that heavy vehicles, especially those travelling from Panjim towards Ponda, often topple while negotiating the GVM circle. “The curve and gradient here are not ideal for heavy traffic. The design may be flawed and needs a serious rejig,” he added.
He urged engineers and highway authorities to hold consultations and come up with an improved design that prioritises safety. “Accidents often occur when buses from Panjim take the turn at GVM circle towards Ponda or Margao and end up losing balance. This could be due to the faulty alignment of the circle itself,” Sapre said.
Locals believe that with the highway work currently in progress, this is the right time for authorities to address long-pending safety concerns and ensure that the new road design corrects past mistakes. They have appealed to PWD officials and NH engineers to visit the site, study accident patterns, and act promptly to prevent further tragedies.