CUNCOLIM: Inaugurated just two years ago on February 18, 2021, the Cuncolim Municipal Building presents a dilapidated appearance, with only a few skeletal shops in operation and a basement rendered unusable by waterlogging, alongside clogged and non-functional toilets.
The foundation stone for this structure was laid on June 17, 2016, by the then Chief Minister from the BJP, Laxmikant Parsekar, in the presence of the then BJP MLA Rajan Naik. Construction was completed in 2018, though it was officially inaugurated three years later.
The mismanagement of this building, which cost around Rs five crore, came to light recently when environmentalist Kabir Moraes’ video showing the clogged toilets and flooded basement went viral.
The video depicts municipal staff, tasked with maintaining the toilets, expressing helplessness due to the lack of water supply for flushing and cleaning.
Moreover, it highlights how the basement, intended for parking, remains submerged in water, rendering it unusable.
Locals note that since its inauguration, waterlogging in the basement has been a recurring issue, with water being pumped out annually after the monsoon season.
Chairperson of the Cuncolim Municipal Council, Landry Mascarenhas, acknowledged the annual occurrence of waterlogging, attributing this year’s increase to early water release in the canals. Despite efforts to pump out the water, the problem persists.
Mascarenhas attributed the current issue to poor engineering, stating that the likelihood of water seepage in the basement was not adequately considered.
“The stagnating water in the basement has damaged the system of pumping the water from the sump to the overhead tanks and that is why there is no water available in the toilets,” he said, while assuring that they will resolve this problem at the earliest.
Another concern plaguing the building is the presence of vacant shops, contributing to its desolate appearance instead of serving as the town’s primary administrative hub.
The building comprises 40 ground-floor shops, of which only eight are operational, with one housing the Information Technology Department for Aadhaar card preparation.
Of the remaining shops, rent is being paid for only three, while the municipality has yet to receive any payments from the other five.
The first floor houses 20 shops, of which 10 are under the control of the Cuncolim Municipal Council, their purpose remaining unclear as they remain closed. Additionally, a gymnasium, established under the MPLAD scheme, operates on the second floor.
The council intends to issue notices to non-paying tenants but currently has no plans to reopen closed shops despite being auctioned.
Moraes warned of potential structural instability due to prolonged waterlogging in the basement.
