Team Herald
PANJIM: The heavy rainfall over the past four days has laid bare the substandard work carried out under the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) initiative, with sections of the footpath at St Inez having caved in, posing a serious threat to pedestrians.
On Friday, an autorickshaw's front wheel got stuck in one of the sunken portions of the footpath, prompting public outrage. Locals strongly criticised the authorities for neglect and poor-quality construction, accusing the contractors of executing the project without proper planning or supervision.
Despite official claims that Smart City works are nearing completion, the situation on the ground paints a different picture. “See the condition of Smart City work. Since the beginning, we have been complaining of the shoddy work. It was an autorickshaw, so the damage was less. Had there been a bike rider, he would definitely have sustained serious injuries. The footpath couldn’t even sustain the weight of an autorickshaw,” said Abdul Khan, a resident of the area.
Khan added, “Not only in Panjim but roads and footpaths have caved in at several other locations across the city. Despite repeated complaints, none of the Smart City officials have visited the site. Drains have been left open for months. Works are incomplete—who cares? Anybody can fall into these drains. Claims are made that the work is complete, but just look at the state of things. If this is the result after the first rains, what will the next four months bring?”
Safroddin Khan, the autorickshaw driver whose vehicle was trapped, explained that the incident occurred while he was attempting to park.
Activist Cecille Rodrigues voiced her frustration: “Pavements in many areas have caved in. Debris remain uncleared in several places. How are people supposed to walk? The cameras installed on poles are dangling. All the pavers have come loose. There are bus stops, but no seating arrangements have been made for passengers. Everything has been left incomplete. There are holes in the footpaths. Is this supposed to be Smart City work? Is this the capital city of Panjim?”
Utpal Parrikar added, “We’ve seen trucks stuck in caved-in roads before, but I never imagined an autorickshaw could get trapped like this. At many places, pavers are either broken or have sunken. The work is of poor quality and lacks proper engineering. And this isn’t even peak monsoon season yet.”
As public dissatisfaction grows, the incident has raised serious concerns over the integrity and oversight of Panjim’s Smart City infrastructure development.