PONDA: Incomplete hot mix carpeting on the sharp Kapileshwari-Donkhamb turn poses a significant risk of accidents. Locals report that the contractor began work on the stretch from Durbhat to Kapileshwari fifteen days ago but left a one-kilometre section unfinished at the sharp Donkhamb-Kapileshwari turn.
Residents are demanding that the contractor complete the work immediately to ensure commuter safety, especially with schools now open and hundreds of people from four panchayats traveling this road daily.
A resident o f the area, Kisan Naik noted that the contractor laid the first layer of hot mix but failed to apply the second layer, which could affect the longevity of the resurfaced road. At the Donkhamb turn, only half the road is hot mixed, creating a dangerous sharp edge that poses a risk to bike riders who may skid on the uneven surface.
Naik further mentioned that the road had been in poor condition for ten years due to sewerage and underground cabling work. “We have been enduring these hardships for so many years already. The government began hot mix carpeting a four-kilometre stretch from Durbhat to Kapileshwari after more than a decade, raising our hopes for a good road. However, the contractor left a one-kilometre section unfinished after completing three kilometres – why can’t the authorities ensure that a job is completed once started?” he questioned.
Arthav Bodke, another local pointed out that that the incomplete work is inconveniencing motorists, especially on the sharp turn, and urged the contractor to finish the job for the safety of all commuters, particularly two-wheeler riders.
