QUEPEM: Despite being a taluka headquarter, Quepem town lacks basic necessities like a proper market and a police station, as the new market building is yet to become operational, while work on the police station has stopped for unknown reasons.
The building for Quepem market, constructed by Goa State Urban Development Authority (GSUDA), was inaugurated three years ago, but since the premises have not been handed over to the Quepem Municipal Council as yet, it is not operational.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Quepem Municipal Council chairperson Suchita Shirwaiker with great bravado had declared that the market would become operational from August 2023, but that has remained just an empty promise.
“It is quite an irony that the market building was constructed using crores of public money, but is not yet thrown open for the public,” said one shop owner from Quepem, who did not want to be named fearing harassment by the authorities.
“It is true that I had said that the market complex would become operational by August last year, but I am helpless as GSUDA has not yet handed over the constructed premises to us,” Shirwaiker said.
Work on constructing a new building to house the Quepem police station started three years ago with much fanfare. But work has now come to a grinding halt without giving any reason. But, people believe that the work has stopped only because the government doesn’t have funds.
There is a building in the town, where most of the government offices like the Deputy Collector, Mamlatdar, Public Works Department, Transport department and even Town and Country Planning department are housed.
Besides, the Quepem has a park right in its heart and also a very good post office. However, the absence of a market makes it look more like an overgrown village, as fish, vegetables and fruit are sold by the roadside.
