MARGAO: Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar on a visit to the Power House Margao has assured of following up and getting the abandoned work of MRT Bhavan completed soon. 

The minister has also vowed to start the work through electricity department if the PWD doesn’t succeed in doing so.

Herald had raised the issue of the abandoned pending work of the MRT Bhavan in Aquem and how the department has been forced to operate from Electricity Quarters due to lack of space in existing power house. 

During an interaction with the division heads concerned, Madkaikar said, “I will follow up the issue of pending MRT Bhavan with the PWD and see if they are able to restart the work. If not, civil works division of the Electricity Department will take up the same and seek the details of the money deposited with the PWD for this work.” 

Listing his priorities, the minister said, “Our priorities are to procure materials like conductors, poles, meters, wires and lot of other materials. Secondly, as far as LED lighting is concerned, we need 1,80,000 poles to be lit up. We have covered 50% with 55 teams and one contractor working day in day out all over Goa and have given him a target to complete by May 15.” 

On the pre-monsoon preparedness, Madkaikar said that they would be working out solutions for pre-monsoon preparedness by holding joint meeting of all the MLA’s and district administration of South Goa.

On the underground cabling network, Madkaikar said that when cable to cable connection will be complete, the problems of underground cabling would be solved totally. “The contractor is responsible for keeping the system hassle free and he is doing it,” he added.

Acknowledging material shortage due to the suppliers going to court, the minister said, “We are going to solve the matters and float tenders for the materials contracts soon.”