A few weeks ago Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, along with MMC Councillors of Wards 17 and 18 and PWD and JICA officials had a celebration amidst the breaking of coconuts on the same road where the water pipeline burst within weeks of it being repaired. It was initially badly damaged in many places by JICA’s JCB machines. A BSNL internet line was also cut due to the works.
Activist Cedric Da Costa along with residents complained to PWD Div IX Assistant Engineer Vijay Kudchadkar who promptly undertook the repair work neglected for weeks, despite repeated pleas to the local councillor and other officials.
“After inaugurating the road works with major fanfare by the Margao MLA and councillors the damaged pipeline was left unattended by the same officials. Later, the PWD and JICA engaged in a blame game as JICA damaged several other water pipelines and BSNL cables in Margao due to insensitive work leaving PWD to repair JICAs damages,” said Da Costa.
Local residents complained that the initially damaged pipeline burst in three places along the newly-tarred road and this resulted in water wastage for several days and muddy water entering the pipeline as authorities turned a blind eye even though a hospital is situated in the area.
Residents also pointed to nearby haphazard road digging that had created craters and sudden sinking right in the middle of the road after the pre-monsoon showers which had caused severe inconvenience and accidents in the area. PWD officials also directed the JICA contractors to fill up the major road crater that resulted due to improper filling of the dug up road for the sewerage project.
