PONDA: The Ponda Chief Officer, Mr Jayant Tari, who is also holding the post of deputy collector, Ponda, informed him that the city roads would be tarred by the end of May month and then installation of the signboards would be taken up.

Further he said, "I had also asked the PMC chairperson to instruct market inspectors to clear encroachments from the roads as early as possible to ease congestion and make more space."

This response of the chief officer comes in the wake on charges that the Ponda civic body is dilly dallying on the signboards along the Ponda roads.

The Ponda traffic police inspector, Mr Salim Shaikh on Monday informed that since last two years, the traffic cell officials have been writing to the Ponda municipal council (PMC) with an appeal to install traffic signboards on the city roads but to no avail.

"I wrote to PMC chairperson and the chief officer on several occasions requesting them to arrange for the signboards as they are required to bring in traffic discipline. But, there seems to be no enthusiasm on PMC side. I had even suggested them to look for sponsorship in this regard and assured my full help, as there are companies which are looking forward in this regard," the PI rued.

He told ‘The Navhind Times’ that there are only 100 traffic signboards in Ponda city, of which 40 per cent are faded and corroded. There is a need for another 200 signboards to be installed in and around the city, he said.

"In absence of such signboards, the new road users get confused and often end up on wrong roads for which we cannot even challan them," he said.

The absence of traffic signboards has also led to haphazard parking on the city roads, he added.