NAVIN JHA
navin@herald-goa.com
Named after the famous Portuguese explorer and Navigator Vasco da Gama, Vasco city enjoys the pride of being the only planed city in Goa; however, when it comes to development, Vasco is a crumbling town with infrastructure not attended for decades.
Though this city is the only city in Goa which is connected by all four modes of transportation including road, rail, and sea and by air and is recognized as one of the commercial capital in South Goa, still the city’s much needed infrastructure remained unattended.
The major problems that haunt the constituency are lack of proper market facilities. Presently, all markets, including vegetable, fish, meat and fruit market is in shambles. Vegetable and fruit vendors in Vasco have been operating along a road. Similarly, the fish market and meat market is in dilapidated condition. With regards to fish market, though the plan for a new market complex is ready, however the local fish vendors have been objecting to the plan proposed by the local MLA and thus this plan could not become reality. Similarly, local MLA’s proposal to delete the internal road and to use the present vegetable market area (including road area) for the construction of new vegetable-cum-fruit market was made before South District administration, however the approval is pending and thus again the markets would remain as a 2017 poll issue.
Not only the vendors of perishable items, but even other vendors from the municipal market complex are waiting to see their demand of new market complex getting fulfilled. “We have a municipal market complex which was built during the Portuguese era and is housing 400 vendors. In 1985, the vendors had requested for a new market complex after which the then council members proposed to develop this place. From planning to drawing, the process had started, however, even after 31 years, the modern market is still a distant dream for the citizens and today the existing market has become an eyesore,” said Surendra Madkaikar, former president of Mormugao Municipal Market.
Until last assembly elections, scattered government offices in Vasco was another major poll issue. As all the taluka offices are scattered and are located in rented premises, people are facing severe inconvenience. Considering urgent need to have all government offices under one roof, the incumbent Vasco MLA initiated an administrative building project along with Vasco bus Terminal for which the work has been going on at full swing and people are waiting for the day when this project would be ready for use.
Lack of parking and traffic congestion due to movement of heavy vehicles to Mormugao Port through the city roads is a huge botheration for the people. Interestingly, during the debate programme organized by Herald last year, the citizens had pointed out that the city desperately needed a solution to parking woes. The MMC chairperson had informed that a proposal for the multi-storied parking facility has been forwarded, however, the proposal is still biting dust in govt shelves.
NAVIN JHA
navin@herald-goa.com
Named after the famous Portuguese explorer and Navigator Vasco da Gama, Vasco city enjoys the pride of being the only planed city in Goa; however, when it comes to development, Vasco is a crumbling town with infrastructure not attended for decades.
Though this city is the only city in Goa which is connected by all four modes of transportation including road, rail, and sea and by air and is recognized as one of the commercial capital in South Goa, still the city’s much needed infrastructure remained unattended.
The major problems that haunt the constituency are lack of proper market facilities. Presently, all markets, including vegetable, fish, meat and fruit market is in shambles. Vegetable and fruit vendors in Vasco have been operating along a road. Similarly, the fish market and meat market is in dilapidated condition. With regards to fish market, though the plan for a new market complex is ready, however the local fish vendors have been objecting to the plan proposed by the local MLA and thus this plan could not become reality. Similarly, local MLA’s proposal to delete the internal road and to use the present vegetable market area (including road area) for the construction of new vegetable-cum-fruit market was made before South District administration, however the approval is pending and thus again the markets would remain as a 2017 poll issue.
Not only the vendors of perishable items, but even other vendors from the municipal market complex are waiting to see their demand of new market complex getting fulfilled. “We have a municipal market complex which was built during the Portuguese era and is housing 400 vendors. In 1985, the vendors had requested for a new market complex after which the then council members proposed to develop this place. From planning to drawing, the process had started, however, even after 31 years, the modern market is still a distant dream for the citizens and today the existing market has become an eyesore,” said Surendra Madkaikar, former president of Mormugao Municipal Market.
Until last assembly elections, scattered government offices in Vasco was another major poll issue. As all the taluka offices are scattered and are located in rented premises, people are facing severe inconvenience. Considering urgent need to have all government offices under one roof, the incumbent Vasco MLA initiated an administrative building project along with Vasco bus Terminal for which the work has been going on at full swing and people are waiting for the day when this project would be ready for use.
Lack of parking and traffic congestion due to movement of heavy vehicles to Mormugao Port through the city roads is a huge botheration for the people. Interestingly, during the debate programme organized by Herald last year, the citizens had pointed out that the city desperately needed a solution to parking woes. The MMC chairperson had informed that a proposal for the multi-storied parking facility has been forwarded, however, the proposal is still biting dust in govt shelves.
