PONDA: A woman tourist had a narrow escape on Sunday after a passenger bus collided against her car near Safa Masjid at Ponda. The bus was trying to take an unauthorised U-turn at the dangerous junction while the TS registered car was proceeding towards Panjim over the flyover.
As the bus driver tried to take a sudden U-turn without application of his mind, he banged into the car injuring the woman. Onlookers then rescued the injured woman from the damaged car. Police rushed to the site and ASI Sudhakar Gaonkar conducted the panchnama and shifted the injured woman to hospital.
It is pertinent to note that after completion of the Belgaum-Ponda bypass highway, u-turn near Safa Masjid at Shapur, Bandora have been banned. Earlier, the buses going from old bus stand towards New KTC terminus would cross the road near Safa Masjid but after the flyover was opened for traffic, the vehicles were made to travel an extra kilometre by taking a u-turn at Farmagudi GVM’s Circle.
This had agitated local motorists and especially bus owners who demanded for an underpass near the Masjid. The buses continue to take unauthorised U-turns at the respective junction which has led to many mishaps.
