Uguem villagers to up the ante for service road

Frustrated over unfulfilled demands for a proper crossing and a service road, villagers of Uguem in Pernem taluka have decided to up the ante to highlight the issues pertaining to the ongoing work of highway expansion.

The villagers said that since the time the work on highway expansion has commenced, they are suffering badly due to the absence of a service road.

With the expansion of national highway-66, the village is divided into two parts – houses on one side while fields on the other side. And due to the absence of service road and a proper crossing, they are unable to reach their fields.

Uday Mahale, a villager said, “We have made correspondence to each and every authority concerned right from PWD (highway), Chief Minister and local MLA but till date nothing has been done.

“All we have received are assurances,” said Mahale.

With no provision of service road and a crossing, the villagers questioned as to how they are supposed to reach their fields.

“There is a temple on the other side of the road, and there are few houses across the road. The provision of an underpass made is useless,” said Mahale.

A majority of villagers depend on farming and have to visit their fields at least thrice a day. There are around 350 houses with around 4,000 population but the absence of service road and crossing, have inconvenienced them, especially the students.

People have to run across the highway because there is no zebra crossing or any other provision made to cross the road, the villagers said.

The villagers claimed that work of the national highway is in full swing and has reached completion stage, however, the contractor has failed to provide a proper service road.

A temporary service road has been provided on the side of the highway however the villagers face difficulty in entering their fields, they added.