PONDA: The strong iron barricade height barrier (at a height of 2.9 metres) installed near Khandola Government College to prevent entry of heavy cargo-loaded vehicles from crossing Gaundalim Bridge coming from Marcel and Sakhlim has become an accident-prone zone.
Late Friday night, a loaded truck proceeding to Gandaulim Bridge at Cumbarzuva from Marcel crashed into the height barrier installed on the way, leading to massive damage to the cabin of the truck, with the driver seriously injured.
Due to the absence of proper radium lights on the height barrier and proper signboards on the road, cargo-loaded heavy vehicles often mistakenly take this route and collide with the height barrier, which is not visible in the absence of radium. This height barrier has turned into a crash barrier for cargo vehicles.
According to locals, this is the third such accident in six months, and on one occasion, a driver of a heavy vehicle died after being trapped in the cabin following a collision with the height barrier. Betki- Khandola Sarpanch Vishant Naik demanded that the government set up proper notice boards and radium lights near the height barrier to create awareness and prevent accidents.
According to locals, the iron barricade erected near Government College at Khandola aims to prevent heavy vehicles from crossing Gaundalim Bridge. Heavy vehicles coming from Sakhali, Bicholim are expected to take Banastarim Bridge to reach Panjim; however, some heavy vehicles use Google Maps, which directs them to take Gaundalim Bridge to reach old Goa towards Panjim. Many drivers get confused due to the lack of proper signboards on this road.In the Friday night incident, the driver of the heavily loaded cargo truck, Habib Rahimbhai from Rajkot, after crossing Amonda Bridge, was following Google Maps and encountered no streetlights. Furthermore, he could not notice the height barrier as there was no radium light and collided with the iron barrier erected near the bridge, causing extensive damage to the vehicle and injuring him. He was immediately admitted to the hospital in Betki.
