Mapusa, which is the pride of the North District, has so much to offer by way of its religious sites, educational institutions, hospitals, regular market, the world famed Friday Market, Government offices, business centres, banking sector, good road connectivity, inter-state transport network, restaurants, food court, a beautiful garden (recently renovated) in the heart of the city, and a residential area too in and around Mapusa.
It has a good number of old structures viz the current Mapusa Municipal Building (earlier the famed St Mary’s High School), the building opposite the Municipal Building which houses part of the Mapusa Court, the building on the side of the new Municipal Council (which is crying for attention) the Old Asilo Building which is being renovated; the famed Bodgeshwar Temple, the St Jerome’s Church, the Mosque and so on. Yet it lacks so many essential facilities viz like i) no proper footpaths – though so many students walk to school, people walk to the market, the religious sites; ii) Kiosks put up on the footpath thus causing obstruction; iii) no proper drains and whatever exist are uncovered in most areas, thus being clogged with non bio-degradable waste, iv) stagnant water in the nullahs around the market and the bus stand; v) chaotic market – bursting with vendors beyond the threshold limits – leaving hardly any place for the shoppers to move around; vi) lack of traffic / parking sense — narrow roads have vehicles parked on both sides; vii) lack of traffic signals, signage, zebra crossings at strategic locations viz schools; vii) no inter-state bus stand – though so many interstate buses have their pick up point in Mapusa City, viii) no proper garbage treatment plant, ix) reckless dumping of debris along the road; viii) old Electricity poles / telephone poles located at cross roads / junctions causing inconvenience / danger to public.
To bring back Mapusa to its past glory, threadbare planning is much required involving all concerned, be it Municipality, the Water works department, the Electricity Department, the Transport Department, the Police Department, the BSNL , the Education Department and the Citizens too. It can be done and will surely be done if all concerned put their heads, hearts, and minds together to work in co-ordination with one another and bring back the much needed ‘glory of Mapusa’ to the eye of the connoisseur.
