PONDA: Due to increasing traffic and fatalities, the Ponda taluka locals on Friday demanded with the State government to widen the Farmagudi-Banastarim narrow road, having sharp turns and dangerous junctions.
The road is too narrow to cope with the rising traffic and often claims lives of many in the accidents. Since past many years, the commuters are demanding widening and improvement of narrow highway road at this stretch of Ponda-Panjim highway.
There are so many sharp turns and accident prone zones. The Ponda-Panjim highway road is around 33 kms distance. The government has only widened around 10 kms stretch from Panjim to Old Goa into a four-lane.
According to a local, Survesh Naik, “Travelling on this narrow Farmagudi-Banastarim road is very risky. So many fatal accidents have taken place in the past. The Kundaim–Manaswada junction is an accident prone and has claimed many lives.
Another junction near Kundaim Industrial Estate, where Marcaim road is connected is also dangerous.
At the GVM Circle, the heavy vehicles drivers face difficulties to negotiate the big circle inviting accidents.
Bandora Panchayat Sarpanch Rajesh Naik has already demanded with the National Highways Authority of India to reduce the size of the circle.
A Ponda local, Vishal Gaonkar said, “While planning widening or four-laning, the government should consider opinions of the locals as to where there should be flyover and underpasses. The Ponda locals are now facing lot of difficulties in absence of no provision of underpass to cross KTC junction as well as at Curti-Sateri junction on a four-lane widened stretch at Ponda.
Another local, Manoj Gaude said, “There are several farmers selling their agricultural produce dangerously by the roadside at Mardol, Connem on Ponda-Panjim highway narrow road. Though PWD issues notices to them to clear their structures, the vendors are often seen selling their goods by the roadside risking their lives. The government need to provide them safe space either on a highway or at local market or buy their agricultural produce and sell it through horticultural outlets as it is the only source of their livelihood.”
