With just eight months to go for the March 2026 civic elections, the BJP-controlled Margao Municipal Council’s (MMC) meeting revealed a calculated push for mega-project approvals worth over Rs 31 cr. But alongside the infrastructure push, the session also laid bare serious governance concerns—fee hikes of up to 500 per cent, procedural violations, and administrative lapses—that have raised questions about the council’s ability to manage public resources.
The session greenlit an ambitious slate of projects totaling over Rs 31 crore, including a Rs 10 crore multi-level parking facility, a Rs 14 crore heritage building renovation, and a Rs 7 crore gasification plant at Sonsodo.
The multi-level parking project represents Margao’s first automated electro-mechanical puzzle parking system. Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar confirmed that Rs 5.5 cr has already been deposited with the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), with the remaining Rs 4.5 cr to follow. The gasification plant was approved after councillors rejected an earlier proposal for a bio-methanation plant, citing the failure of a similar facility at the SGPDA market. Municipal Engineer Dipak Desai explained that the plant would treat 10 tonnes of mixed waste and tackle garbage issues at 50 black spots in the city.
Pay parking, absent for over two decades, is set to return to five key locations: VV Road and Isidor Baptista Road (De Souza Chambers to Sadekar Building), National Highway 66 and Luis Miranda Road (SBI Margao entrance to behind Fatima School), Luis Miranda Road (Saaj Hotel to opposite Anugraha Restaurant), Luis Miranda Road and Rua Miguel de Loyola Furtado Road (Woodland to Gracias Hospital), and Isidor Baptista Road and VV Road (Vaz Enterprises to Gaylin restaurant). The system will charge Rs 5 per hour for two-wheelers and Rs 10 for four-wheelers. Councillor Mahesh Amonkar cautioned against potential misuse by rent-a-bike operators.
The Rs 14 cr renovation of a heritage building will be fully funded by the state government, prompting Shirodkar to thank Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. As part of the old bus stand beautification, the council plans to rehabilitate 70 gadda owners, including those operating along the SBI–Presentation Convent School stretch.
However, the meeting’s most contentious moments were not about the projects but the manner in which decisions were taken. Opposition councillors, including Goa Forward members Francis Joanes and Ganashyam Shirodkar, objected to what they called illegal proceedings. Joanes revealed that trade licence fees had been increased by 100–500 per cent, far exceeding the council’s earlier announcement of a 10–20 per cent hike. Ganashyam Shirodkar denied seconding the resolution in question and demanded clarification on how his name appeared in the minutes.
When opposition councillors called for a division of votes, Chairperson Shirodkar refused, stating that “the Municipal Act does not have any provision for confirmation of minutes of meetings,” and that minute confirmations were only a procedural norm. He later assured that objections raised by councillors would be recorded, but this did little to quell criticism.
Administrative inefficiencies also came under scrutiny. Shirodkar admitted to the disappearance of a crucial file during the meeting. “A file was reported missing. Upon warning the employee concerned, the file was discovered resting on a register atop an isolated table,” he said, promising strict action against those responsible. Critics alleged that employees often hide files to harass citizens and that some councillors show undue interest in specific files for personal gain.