Team Herald
PANJIM: Hundreds of tourists arriving in Goa to revel in Christmas festivities and New Year celebrations are being met with a chaotic and disheartening sight in the State capital. Panjim’s roads resemble a war zone, marred by ill-timed and poorly planned sewerage work carried out under the Smart City project by Imagine Panaji Smart Development Limited (IPSCDL).
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Key areas, including Mahatma Gandhi Road near Azad Maidan, Govinda Building, Arcadia Hotel, Gurudatta Building, and the stretch from Dhempe College to Tonca Circle, are riddled with potholes, piles of excavated mud and blocked paths. Footpaths across the city are in poor condition, creating significant hardships for residents and visitors during Goa’s peak tourist season.
For over a year, residents have raised concerns about dust pollution from ongoing roadwork, blaming it for respiratory infections and other health issues. Yet, the disruptions persist.
Advocate Rui Ferreira, a Panjim resident, voiced his frustration, asking, “What was the hurry to create a mess in the capital city? The IPSCDL is hell-bent on creating confusion in the lives of Panjim citizens going to Mass and celebrating festivals during this season. The planning is done to create hindrance to the festivals,” he alleged. Ferreira also warned that the increasing dust pollution could discourage tourists from visiting Panjim. “When the temperature drops, lung infections will start,” he added.
Sanjay Sarmalkar, another local, criticised IPSCDL for its poor execution. “The architect engaged by Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd has designed the city sitting in the office. The works are carried out in a haphazard manner because the Smart City office does not have technically sound people. The constant digging of roads and potholes is
endangering the lives of motorists, particularly two-wheelers,” he said.
Recalling the tragic death of a 21-year-old youth after his two-wheeler fell into a pothole at Mala on New Year’s Day 2024, Sarmalkar urged citizens to file criminal cases against IPSCDL. “The government should not allow the contractor to construct another Smart City road,” he demanded.
Christus Lopes, who has previously taken the issue of Smart City works to the High Court, accused IPSCDL of capitalising on the court’s holiday break. “The IPSCDL is taking advantage of the closure of the High Court for Christmas and New Year vacation and carrying out digging works. The digging has started on busy roads during festival time and it is posing risks to motorists and commuters,” he said. Lopes also pointed out the government’s failure to honour its commitment to the High Court that all works would be completed by March 31, 2024, noting that residents and visitors continue to endure
chaotic conditions.
As dust, dug-up roads, and disruptions mar Panjim’s charm, residents lament the government’s failure to ensure responsible planning and timely completion of projects. For many, the vision of a “Smart City”
remains buried under the debris of
mismanagement.
