VASCO
Safety measures along the four-lane highway were launched on Saturday near the landslide-prone stretch at Sada, while the road was partially reopened to ease traffic congestion and enhance safety.
The move follows several reported accidents in the area due to restricted road space.
One side of the highway, which was closed for ongoing landslide mitigation works, has now been reopened for vehicular movement up to a certain point, following orders from the South Goa collector.
Speaking to the media after launching the work, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar appealed to commuters to exercise caution.
“We had a massive landslide along the four-lane highway, forcing us to close one side and convert it into a two-lane road temporarily. The work began under the supervision of IIT Guwahati and was expected to be completed in three months, but incessant rains caused delays,” he said.
Highlighting the rising number of accidents due to the narrowed stretch, Amonkar said, “Locals from Sada and Bogda requested that we at least open the other section of the road till Ravindra Bhavan. We met with the Dy Collector and South Goa Collector and secured an order to temporarily cut the median. This allows us to close only the section where work is ongoing, while reopening the other 2-km stretch for traffic.”
Amonkar added that detailed discussions were also held with traffic police and other authorities before implementing the change.
“Now, the road from the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research up to the landslide work site will remain closed, but the remaining stretch of the road will be opened to ease movement and reduce accident risk,” he said.
The MLA assured that safety measures would continue to be implemented until the entire project is completed.
