PERNEM
Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar who recently submitted a proposal for a flyover to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, “A flyover was the need of the hour at Dhargal Panchayat near Don Khamb junction, but the past local representatives neglected the issue and gave a proposal to the government to cancel the flyover at the opposition from a handful of citizens. They did not study whether the flyover was needed or not. The locals are suffering for their negligence. There have been hundreds of accidents at this junction, and many lives have been lost so far.”
In his proposal, Arlekar has written to the Union Ministry that a flyover should be constructed at this junction on an urgent basis. He elaborated on why this flyover is needed so badly at this spot and how it would prevent more accidents from happening. Arlekar assured the locals that he would be following up the proposal with the Central ministry and get the work done.
“If needed I will go to Delhi to do the follow-up and highlight the need for the flyover,” said Arlekar and hoped that the flyover would be a reality very soon.
He mentioned that when the road map was sketched for the national highway 66, there was a mention of a flyover at this place but some handful of professionals and business community from Dhargal Panchayat met the then deputy chief minister Babu Ajgaonkar and stated that the flyover should not be constructed at Don Khamb.
Accordingly, the Central government canceled the flyover. But the absence of a flyover has created chaos and fatal accidents, taking a toll on innocent citizens in the area, said Arlekar. The locals have been pressing for the flyover for the past year.
Arlekar also pointed out that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant had visited the place last year and promised to construct the flyover within a year, but 13 months have passed and the flyover has still not started. Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar also had put up a proposal through Tuem Panchayat to the Chief Minister, demanding the construction of this flyover. Arlekar said that until the flyover is not constructed, a traffic police should be deputed here to control the traffic, and such a system is put in place after his demand.
