OLD GOA: Just a few days after Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar expressed satisfaction over the pace of work undertaken for the exposition of the sacred relic of St Francis Xavier, Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao echoed similar sentiments while appreciating everybody’s efforts in creating infrastructure and other facilities for the exposition.
Ferrao made the statement after personally going around the different venues, on Thursday, which included the accommodation facilities for pilgrims, the exhibition centre, former archbishop’s palace, the toilet blocks, etc.
The archbishop was accompanied by the three exposition commissioners Sanjith Rodrigues, Bosco George and Michael D’Souza, SP Allen D’Sa, SP Serafin Dias, Exposition Committee Chairman Fr Alfred Vaz, Basilica Rector Fr Savio Barretto, architect Marvin Gomes, DySP Traffic Dharmesh Angle, Old Goa PI Krishna Sinari and other officials.
The Archbishop however, urged the officials to see to it that the pending works are completed on time. He also expressed the need for continuous supply of water and electricity during the exposition and asked the officials to ensure that there is no shortage. The Archbishop also requested the officials to find a solution to the network problem for cell phones in and around Old Goa, which he said could become a problem for the pilgrims, particularly in case of some emergency.
Exposition Chairman Sanjith Rodrigues assured to make available all the facilities for the pilgrims. “Drinking water stations will be set up and free water will be dispensed to the pilgrims,” he said while adding that old electricity poles have been removed and replaced with new ones.
To solve the problem of network for mobiles, Rodrigues said a new mobile tower will be installed at the parking area.
Earlier, Rodrigues apprised the archbishop about the roadmap for the exposition and showed him where the facilities for pilgrims’ accommodation, parking and stalls are earmarked.
He also mentioned that separate barracks have been built to house the police personnel, fire personnel and sanitation workers.
“A new highway road linking Old Goa is already complete, new pavements have been built at several places, drains have been built, all roads have been resurfaced, fountains have been refurbished, exhibition centre for church has been set up, old archbishop’s palace has been renovated, health unit has been set up which will have doctors, medicine, etc,” Rodrigues informed the archbishop while outlining several facilities which are built to cater to the needs of the pilgrims.
On the special needs for the disabled, Rodrigues apprised the archbishop that 100 wheel chairs will be made available at various places with 75 volunteers at hand to help them. “The wheel chair can be taken directly to the Se Cathedral,” Rodrigues said while informing that separate parking area has been earmarked for the disabled. “Separate parking facility will also be made available for the old people,” he added.
On the sanitation front, Rodrigues informed the bishop that several toilet blocks have been built. “Bins will be placed all over and 150 sanitation workers will be employed to see that waste is not littered,” he said and added that dry waste and wet waste will be treated separately.
