PANJIM: A senior citizen residing at St Inez suffered a fractured shoulder on Friday night, adding to the growing list of grievances against the ongoing Smart City works in the area.
The incident occurred at 10.30 pm when the victim, who was returning from a wedding reception, slipped on a wooden plank that had reportedly broken due to substandard construction.
The residents of St Inez have been enduring months of inconvenience and now face the added distress of injuries. The shoddy workmanship of the Smart City contractors is being strongly criticised, with residents pointing out the lack of concern for public safety.
The injured senior citizen’s fall has intensified the local community’s frustration, prompting questions about the accountability of the contractors responsible for the Smart City project. Residents claim that despite months of informing the contractors about potential dangers, their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.
Expressing their dismay, residents are demanding answers about the contractors’ identities and questioning why they appear to be safeguarded from accountability. The safety of the public should be paramount, and the negligence exhibited by the contractors in addressing reported hazards is raising serious concerns.
Regretting the unfortunate incident involving an injury to a senior citizen at St Inez, the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) said, “We have intimated the police and have sought for an investigation. The contractor has been instructed to follow all safety measures and protocols at the site which wasn’t done. We are fully collaborating with the authorities and the police in their ongoing investigation.
“At IPSCDL, the safety of our citizens is our utmost priority, and we are committed to ensuring that ongoing development work causes least inconvenience to the public,” it said.
