SHWETA KAMAT
shweta@herald-goa.com
Campal’s heritage area may have age old Portuguese houses lined along its streets- making it a heritage site- but it seems to be missing out on being a part of the Smart City development. The 5000-odd Panjimites who have expressed their suggestions and views for Area-based Smart City development, have missed out on this heritage area, which has several issues plaguing it – right from parking problems to maintenance of these heritage structures.
While a few expressed their displeasure over missing out from the list of area-based development, a few feel that Campal needs to be kept out of the Smart City concept in order to maintain and preserve its unique identity.
After analyzing comments and suggestions received from citizens with regard to area-based development, four potential areas have emerged for development, the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) has said. These include the improvement of the conservation zone including Sao Tome, Fontainhas, Mala (2 sq km or 500 acres), redevelopment of underdeveloped pockets for the urban poor in Altinho, Bhatlem and St Inez Muslim ward (0.2 sq km or 50 acres), redevelopment of the government colony at St Inez, Altinho and Patto (0.2 sq km or 50 acres) and Greenfield (new development) in Kadamba plateau (1 sq km or 250 acres).
However, these potential areas do not highlight the Campal heritage site. “These areas are identified based on public suggestions. The process is still on. These are areas which are priorities identified by people,” Panjim Mayor, Shubham Chodankar told Herald.
The Campal area, which is already reeling under a major parking problem and poor road connectivity will soon have a 5000 capacity football stadium at Parade ground and a cricket stadium at Panjim Gymkhana, further putting strain on the area’s infrastructure.
When contacted, former deputy Mayor and local councilor Kabir Makhija said that the Campal Heritage Precinct continues to receive step motherly treatment from the authorities.
He pointed out to several basic problems faced by residents including parking of all kind of vehicles, including tourist buses, garbage and other nuisance like people consuming alcohol and sitting around the garden at night creating an unsafe environment, etc. “If these basic issues cannot be addressed, then there is no point including the Campal Heritage Zone under the Smart City plan,” Makhija added.
Some feel that it is better that Campal area is not included for area-based development under the Panjim Smart City mission, as it would hamper the preserved identity of the area. “We are happy if it is not part of the Smart City Plan. The way smart city concept is moving, it will destroy the city. If Campal is added, it will lose its heritage identity and we would not like that,” a local resident, Armando Gonsalves said.
