Key Takeaways
- Panaji Smart City Development Ltd missed the April 1 deadline for roadwork completion promised to the Bombay High Court.
- Several key roads, including M G Road and Rua de Ourem, remain unfinished with visible construction issues.
- Road asphalting is planned for May, with landscaping to follow in June, amid complaints from residents about prolonged delays.
April 1 Deadline Missed for Panaji Roadworks
Residents of Panaji were met with disappointment when the promised improvement of roads by April 1 turned out to be an April Fool’s joke. The Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL), tasked with transforming the city’s infrastructure as part of the Smart Cities Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), failed to meet the completion deadlines set in an affidavit to the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Of the 3,000 meters of roadwork in St Inez, only 2,800 meters were completed by the end of March, leaving a small stretch unfinished. Similarly, in Rua de Ourem, the planned 13,800 meters of roadway also remains incomplete. Attempts to reach IPSCDL CEO Sanjit Rodrigues for clarification yielded no responses, highlighting ongoing frustrations among local residents who have waited nearly seven years for project completion.
Key roads including Rua de Ourem, Dr Pandurang Pissurlekar Road, and 18th June Road are still under construction. Disturbing scenes include open trenches haphazardly covered with mud and loose gravel, causing safety and accessibility concerns—exemplified by the area near Don Bosco school.
An IPSCDL source mentioned that, while construction persists, most road closures have been lifted, permitting the flow of vehicle traffic. The agency plans to commence asphalting in May to consolidate the dense bitumen macadam layer laid in March, along with rectifications that won’t require further road closures. Rodrigues indicated that landscaping and tree planting are scheduled for June to enhance the success of plant survival.
Moreover, the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs has urged states to finalize smart city projects by the March-end deadline. In a Townhall discussion, Rodrigues cited challenges that include unseasonal rains, delays in governmental permissions, and a high groundwater table exacerbated by tidal movements which complicate the sewerage project.
The ongoing delays and dissatisfaction of residents are a troubling reminder of the difficulties faced by urban development initiatives intended to improve life in cities.
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