Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) is in a bid to transform the municipal building into a state-of-the-art local administrative complex.
Mayor Surendra Furtado has set 2020 as a target to revamp the existing structure into a multi-storey business and administrative hub in the heart of the capital city.
Speaking to Herald, Furtado informed that the construction of the complex will be handed over to Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), the nodal agency of the government which handles the municipal development projects.
He said “CCP will hand over the project to the GSUDA and they will appoint the consultant and tender the contracts to the companies for execution and will complete the project for CCP.”
Furtado informed that the existing structures will be demolished and six-storey buildings are proposed to be constructed on all the four sides of the CCP square. “One wing of the buildings, we want to dedicate to various government offices which are scattered across the city for want of space. We will propose to bring them under one roof”, he added.
For the purpose, he informed, that the Public Works Department will be requested to evaluate the rent to be charged and accordingly all the offices will be provided space.
He further said “Whatever space is left after allocating to the government, we will invite the banks to occupy the spaces and put up their ATMs in the area, so that we don’t have to run after the clients for collecting rent.”
Currently, 25 shops exist all around the CCP building which would be reallocated space in the new complex.
Furtado has proposed to begin the first phase with reconstruction of the southern building, which once housed the BSNL office. This phase of the project has already been approved by the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA). Subsequently, the northern building, which houses Café Aram, Moti Mahal amongst others and then the eastern and finally the main CCP building will be taken up.
However, for the proposal to go through and see the light of the day, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s approval is a must and the CCP Mayor, during his courtesy visit to the former, has requested for time for presentation of the proposal.
“I am hoping that the CM will give time at earliest and then we will invite TCP Minister as well as the chief town planner and the heads of different departments who are very crucial for the project to go through”, he added.
With 13,000 sq. mts of built-up area, the proposal includes multi-level parking facility which will be able to house around 400 cars and 50 trucks of the CCP at a given time.
The Mayor said that the project would be worth around Rs 50 crore.
