CANACONA
A day after a fatal mishap which claimed three lives and injuries to eight others, a number of locals have claimed there is something seriously wrong with the 7.74-km Canacona Bypass, which has witnessed 23 mishaps at two accident-prone zones in three years.
“Road safety engineering measures were not followed at all while constructing this bypass,” complained Canacona Councillor Dhiraj Naikgaunkar.
Former CMC chairperson Rajendra Dessai said one particular spot at Rajbhag-Tarir junction and another road-crossing at Kolsar-Galgibaga have witnessed 23 accidents since this road was commissioned in November 2019.
CMC Chairperson Ramakant Naikgaunkar said over eight accidents have already place at the Rajbhag-Tarir junction, which has a steep-turn, and demanded rumblers to reduce the speed before approaching the turn on the highway.
Speaking to The Goan, an architect said the entire 7.74-kms of bypass betweem Char-Rasta and Maxem is uneven and has treacherous turns.
“Road safety engineering measures were not followed particularly at the turns, due to which the unsuspecting vehicles moving at high speed find it difficult to control their vehicles,” said an architect.
On Wednesday, a speeding car proceeding from Margao to Karwar direction jumped over the Road-Divider on reaching the turn at Rajbhag-Tarir junction and fell on the other lane, hitting an oncoming car, killing 3 family members and leaving eight others injured.
Canacona PI Chandrakant Gawas said the bodies of Ulhas Nagekar, his wife Veena and their son Harish were handed over to relatives after a post mortem on Thursday.
Sources said the bodies were taken to their residence at Vasco and later cremated at a crematorium in Margao.
Police confirmed that seven injured persons, including two children and 3 adults from the ill-fated car transporting the Vasco family and two occupants Nikhil Nagvenkar and Prashant Talekar (both from Kinar-Karwar) who were in the other car, are still in the GMC hospital.
The 11th person injured in the mishap, a scooter rider from Loliem-Polem, was discharged after first aid from CHC Canacona itself, police added.
