Goa’s Public Works Department has begun widening the Mulgao-Kasarpal bypass in Bicholim to improve road safety and traffic movement, while plans are also under way to connect the stretch to the Assonora bypass through a traffic island.
The intervention addresses problems that have continued despite the construction of the bypass several years ago. The bypass was built after concerns over the steep gradient of the original road, where a fatal accident had occurred after a person was run over by a truck.
According to the report, motorists still face confusion over traffic movement on the bypass. Limited visibility for buses emerging from the route and travelling towards Mapusa has also created a potential risk for other road users.
The proposed traffic island is intended to link the Mulgao-Kasarpal bypass with the Assonora bypass and organise movement at the connection point. The report does not specify the project’s construction cost, the length of road being widened, the design of the traffic island or the expected completion date.
The road works are being undertaken by the PWD, which is responsible for the reported widening intervention. The project follows concerns from local residents and road users about the way traffic currently enters, exits and crosses the bypass.
Resident Vinay Mathkar said the route urgently needed improvements to prevent accidents. His concern reflects the wider safety challenge on roads where changes in alignment, visibility and traffic movement can create risks even after a bypass has been built.
The immediate focus of the works is therefore not only additional road width but also clearer traffic movement at the junction with the Assonora route. Further details on the traffic-island design, construction schedule and safety arrangements remain awaited from the department.
