PANJIM: The Mangrove Boardwalk on the Ourem creek, Patto, Panjim is in a precarious condition. The walkway planks have mysteriously disappeared at many places. The Boardwalk which attracted many youth and tourists due to its environment and biodiversity promotion, has now become an old broken Boardwalk, posing danger to people.
The much hyped Boardwalk was constructed at a cost of Rs 2.27 crore and inaugurated in June 2018. Due to the negligence of the concerned authorities, the Mangrove Broadwalk has become ramshackled.
While at some places the planks have broken, at other places the entire planks have disappeared exposing on the framework and the water below. In some places, the nails are also sticking out.
What is worse is that at night there are no lights on the Mangrove Boardwalk. As a result the place is frequented by unruly elements and couples even late into the night.
"Anti-social elements flock to the area, drink liquor, smoke and create a ruckus at night.
All these illicit activities are taking place there since there is no police patrolling to keep away undesirable elements at bay," said residents.
There is a need to immediately fix the broken planks of the Mangrove Boardwalk and clean up the area. Secondly, there is urgent need to put lights to light up the area for safety and security. Thirdly, there is need for police patrolling to keep away unruly elements indulging in nefarious activities especially at night.