PONDA: Taking note of the Bandora locals’ Sunday’s road protest demanding an underpass at KTC Junction near Safa Masjid before opening of the four-lane road from Khandepar to Ponda, former PWD minister and Marcaim MLA Sudin Dhavalikar said there is no feasibility to construct the underpass.
Dhavalikar along with PWD EE Laxmikant Naik, AE Dattaprasad Kamath and TA Anand Vagurmekar on Monday inspected the KTC Junction and pacified the locals not to agitate stating that construction of underpass is not possible as Archaeology Survey of India three years ago did not give permission to construct underpass in front of Safa Masjid, which is a heritage site.
He said that access to the locals to cross the junction will be provided by installing signals and also there will be no need to travel extra two km to reach to their residences.
“Signal system will bring in smooth flow of traffic as the locals will be allowed one minute time to freely cross the road by stopping the traffic on highway at fixed interval of time,” he informed.
He further said, the service from KTC Bus Stand to Ponda would be widened by acquiring two metres of land by the side of road at Shapur and making it two-lane. People residing at the bus stand area would be allowed to reach to their residence by allowing access to them through underpass at Military Camp Junction.
He appealed to Shapur locals and Mulla family to provide land for service road widening.
“Circle could not be installed here as the land acquired for highway is around 30 metres. At least 20 metres width is required for circle which is not possible and so signal system for traffic will be installed here to regulate traffic,” he said.
He said this happened because during highway construction, we did not acquire 45 metres land just to save houses, temples, churches and dargahs as the government was not against any community and their religious structures.
He however said all the efforts would be made with Archaeology Survey of India for its permission to construct underpass Junction at KTC without harming beauty of heritage site in next phase of highway widening which is to commence soon from Safa Masjid to Farmagudi.
Also present were Bandora Sarpanch Ramchandra Naik.
