TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: In further escalation of tensions between the Corporation of the City of Panaji and Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation, Mayor Surendra Furtado has written to the Goa State Industrial Development Corporation informing that CCP is going to issue a stop work order on the new construction of the Captain of Ports jetty.
“Kindly stop work as you will be getting a stoppage order from the Commissioner CCP,” says the letter addressed to the MD, GSIDC, Sanjit Rodrigues, alleging that the “New Jetty at the Captain of Ports premises where a helipad is planned and the construction underway through the GSIDC is being done without NOC from the CCP. No plans have been approved by the CCP and neither the CCP nor the citizens of Panjim are aware of what project is going on there and for whose benefits, since the steamer services have been closed years back.”
The mayor has also asked for a detailed report regarding the above mentioned development works and the detailed reports by the technical experts on these works.
Interestingly, Sanjit Rodrigues is the MD GSIDC and the commissioner CCP also.
The CCP has also asked for information regarding the proposed Betim-Panjim bridge to be constructed by GSIDC.
“I have received an enquiry from a prominent citizen of Panjim, with regards to the GSIDC’s planning and approval of a bridge between Betim and Panjim with revolving restaurant and Keri to Tiracol at an estimated cost of Rs 570 crore,” says the letter by the Mayor, adding “Kindly send me the correspondence regarding the bridge and restaurant with all details including traffic plans if any, which have been worked out since the ferry wharf area is very crowded and I require all the details to be furnished to me.”
The CCP also wants the GSIDC to write to the concerned government departments involved for full details such as name of the project, exact details with drawing, estimated or tendered costs, time charts, details of why the project was considered necessary and research done on the need and necessity of the project.
The reason given is that the information “is required by CCP since it is a part of the holistic plan for Panjim prepared by LKS Private Limited on behalf of GSIDC.”
This needle has been going between the CCP and the GSIDC over planned development works in the capital. After the meeting Friday the mayor had brought up issues about various works to be done for the city.
