Relief for locals as authorities complete NH works at Opa Khandepar junction

PONDA: Khandepar locals heaved a sigh of relief with the highway authorities completing pending works of National Highway at Opa Khandepar junction including approach road.

According to locals, due  to incomplete works of NH, the locals were compelled to undergo severe hardship as the Opa Khandepar junction had turned into an accident-prone zone for the past several years.

In 2018, the new Khandepar Bridge was inaugurated, without completing the 

approach road to the bridge on the Ponda side. Due to incomplete works, the 

traffic along the highway was proceeding from Opa Khandepar junction via service road.

The approach road work was left incomplete as its land acquisition matter was pending in Court. It took six years to complete the approach road.

Besides the approach road, the cross drain at Opa has been constructed. The authorities have also cleared the mud dumped along the stretch. Earlier, the presence of mud had caused dust pollution in the area and the road had turned slippery following the recent downpour.

Local activist  Sandeep Parkar Khandepar said, “Opa – Khandepar junction was tagged as an accident prone zone due to accidents. Secondly, the junction posed a grave threat to school students due to speeding NH traffic. Within a few days, the NH traffic would proceed now directly from Khandepar Bridge as finally after six years the approach road to new Khandepar bridge has been constructed and even hotmix carpeting has been carried out. After completing the minor works, the NH authorities will throw it open for traffic.”

He thanked NH authorities  and O Heraldo for its continuous reports highlighting the incomplete works at the junction for the past six years.