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’.