20 Feb 2019  |   04:07am IST

ALL DUG UP!

Walking on freshly dug up roads in Panjim, which are more bumps than flat surfaces, has become a menace we have to face daily. The worst part is, this digging is not a onetime occurrence; you’ll have the same road dug up multiple times for various purposes such as electricity, water piping, sewage drains, gas lines, etc. Café finds out what the people of Panjim have to say about this

Nicole Remedios

Panjim is being promoted as a smart city and while the capital of

Goa has a lot to be proud of, it’s rather unfortunate that its streets and by-lanes are being subjected to constant abuse in the name of digging and drilling, for various purposes such as electricity, water piping, sewage drains, gas lines, etc. While proper planning would ensure that such work is carried out in a systematic manner and within a fixed period of time, we see the same streets being dug and re-dug by different authorities.

According to recent reports, North Goa Col­lector Levensin Martins had asked for stoppage of digging the city’s roads, yet many authorities have ignored the statement. Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) wrote to the govern­ment authorities seeking intervention into the extensive trenching work, negligently being carried out in different parts of the capital.

Sometimes, the roads are dug up but not covered appropriately, which then leads to other issues. For example, in 2018, around the Bambolim area, some PWD workers had left a dug up area with shallow cover. Because of this carelessness, an elderly couple had a motor accident and had to be admitted in GMC. In fact, locals have complained that in the name of developing a smart city, various departments are misusing the facility by digging up areas unnecessarily.

Café speaks to the locals and authorities…

It’s all about the ownership

Ex Corporation of The City of Panaji (CCP) council­lor Patricia Pinto

says she has been wearied since a long time because of no action been taken during her time as a councillor and even now. “How long can a person fight alone? I had even made by-laws regarding all these problems of digging up areas, but everyone just criticised these steps. I think their mindsets need to change. Every time a new contractor takes up a project, the roads are dug up to put wires or gas lines, without any proper planning and infra­structure. Who is taking the ownership? When something happens, the CCP doesn’t like to be blamed, if it’s come to this… why doesn’t the CCP look after the city? I did my best during my days, but people laughed at the new ideas, especially the people in the opposing party. They always whined that I’m trying to bring in the abroad system of infrastructure. These are the very same people who then grumble about how dirty India looks compared to the other places. I do not know when this is issue will be taken seriously; you cannot just dig up any areas without permission and without a plan.

Inconvenience to the disabled

Avelino de Sa, President of Disability Rights Association of Goa,

has put forward his toil with regards to the digging up of areas in and around town: “Incessant digging of city roads creates a lot of hardships for people, especially persons with dis­ability and the elderly. I too feel that there should a centralised and holistic plan of action while digging the roads to avoid inconvenience to persons with disability.”

Working towards putting an end to dig­ging…

Kabir Pinto Makhija, Ex-CCP Deputy Mayor,

states that constant digging of roads by various agencies and service providers damages the roads, defaces the city and inconveniences the public. The Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd has stated that it is going to lay an underground Common Utility Duct through which all utility service cables will pass. This measure will put an end to frequent dig­ging of roads in the city.

We don’t want a smart city; all we want is a neat city!

Dr Edelweiss Desa, a general physician,

who practices in the capital city, has been travelling routinely to Panjim and has experienced some real trouble on her way. “The way the paving tiles and certain areas on the ground shake, I could trip and fall on my face! As a daily commuter, I travel from Old Goa to Panjim from the highway. The highway is undeniably beautiful! But why are you digging the road after it has already been structured? This is destruction; the entire road looks so untidy after it was dug up. The public wants to know why it is being dug up, and I think boards need to be put up describing the reason behind the work. Different departments should come together as a whole and plan out well on when, which and why certain areas need to be dug up, rather than have different con­tractors and departments doing anything anywhere. Even after the places have completed the work, the place is left just like that without being cleaned. We don’t want a smart city; they should focus on a neat and tidy city first.

An act needs to be passed…

Says,

Trusha Panvelkar, a business woman

from Panjim, “I feel, the state of Goa should come up with an Act whereby all Government departments should be working together towards government infrastructure undertakings, right from inception to final completion.”

Smart City needs Smart Planning!

Neeta Om Prakash, Freelance Art Curator,

is of the opinion that proper planning is must in any work. It reflects our mindset. Proper planning and coordi­nated working ability reflects the entire system. In any city the convenience of the citizens should be of utmost priority. After some time, the digging of roads might become the symbol of development. ‘Smart city’ needs ‘smart planning’.