the goan I network
PONDA
Around 50 workers, five excavation machines and over 12 trucks have been engaged in work on the Khandepar hill to further prevent any further landslides along the Ponda-Khandepar stretch of the highway.
On Monday, traffic was paralysed twice due to landslides on the hill as heavy rains loosened soil along the newly widened highway between Ponda and Khandepar. About 1 km stretch of the road is under construction as part of the highway expansion. The route has been diverted as ongoing work on the hill is expected to take another four-five days.
As part of the traffic diversion plan, motorists proceeding from Ponda towards Mollem can take either way from Vaghurme-Khandepar junction or Amegos junction, Bethora junction, Nirankal, Dabal, Dharbandora junction to Mollem via Suktole and vice versa. Those going to Panaji, Mapusa and Bicholim from Mollem are to proceed towards the Dharbandora, Usgao-Tisk, Pale, Sakhali route.
Traffic police played a major role on Tuesday to inform motorists about the incident and the traffic diversions. They were stationed at many junctions the whole day, including sites at Borim, Bethora, Amigos, Khandepar, Usgao and Dharbandora.
As a result of the traffic diversion, internal narrow roads at Nirankal, Dabal and Vaghurme were busy and queues were seen along the Bethora bypass.
PWD officials informed that the work on the hill, to prevent further landslides, will continue round the clock.
“We intend to complete the work within four days. Hence, we are doing it round the clock. If it rains heavily, then this task could get delayed,” said an officer at the site.
According to the officer, work to give a slope to the hill had been pending as land acquisition process was in process. “We had moved a file for land acquisition along this stretch. But it got delayed and we could not give a slope to the hill. Now as an emergency case, the government has permitted us to carry out this work to prevent further landslides,” the officer said.
The work will take place along 200 metres of this hill and police have been deployed at the site, while PWD officials are monitoring the situation.
