MAPUSA
Work on the four-lane underpass along the NH17 at Bastora junction has been delayed due to shifting of utility services, but is expected to be completed by December-end.
As part of the national highway expansion project, the Ministry of Road and Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has taken up around 1 km work on six-laning of NH17, which includes one bridge and the four-lane underpass, near Bastora junction.
“Shifting of utility services like the water pipelines and electricity poles has consumed precious time. Shifting of electricity poles took almost a year, delaying the project considerably,” said Assistant Engineer, PWD (highways) A K Sadanand.
While work on service roads along both sides of the highway has almost been completed, PWD officials have been working at a hectic pace to complete the foundation work of a bridge along the stretch before the monsoon sets in.
“The piling work on the bridge has been completed. Now, we have taken up foundation work on the bridge which will be completed before the onset of the rains,” Sadanand informed.
In a bid to restore order in movement of vehicular traffic and eliminate calamities at the accident-prone Bastora junction, the State government had decided to build a 20-metre wide and 6-metre high underpass on the NH17 at the busy Bastora junction.
Work on the key underpass was kick-started in January 2016 and was expected to be completed within 18 months.
The total cost of the underpass has been estimated at Rs 29.42 crore. The underpass was the need of the hour, as number of accidents took place along the stretch near the four road Bastora junction. The area has also been susceptible to constant traffic jams due to the busy intersection with one road leading to Aldona village.
