Famous as mini India of Goa, Vasco constituency is also one of the cities that was properly planned during the Portuguese era. It was only due to Portuguese planning, ring roads were constructed within the town.
As a debutant MLA, Carlos Almeida had got the mandate of the people to bring about changes in the port town. He even succeeded in resolving quite a number of issues that were plaguing the city. Firstly on the garbage front, Almeida, with the help of Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC), put in serious efforts and made Vasco city number one cleanest city in state. Almeida also resolved the issue perennial flooding (during rains) taking place under Railway Bridge near Tania hotel.
On other infrastructural development, things actually started becoming reality in the last two years. Almeida achieved success in taking up developmental projects (completed as well as ongoing) in Vasco worth Rs 500 crores in the last five years. Works, such as first phase of de-silting and development of Maimollem and Sasmollem Lake as well as upgradation of Chicalim Cottage hospital to Sub District Hospital (completion stage). Similarly land acquisition and drawings for swimming pool project has already been completed. The work on a four-lane highway connectivity to MPT has also started in full swing, improvement of culvert near GSL, improvement of sewerage system (almost completed), resolving issue of construction of fishing harbor at Khariwado, saving fishermen structures at Khariwado, widening of the road from GSL to St Andrew’s Church Square and proposed up-gradation of MMC building which is heritage structure.
Vasco city is a commercial hub of Mormugao taluka and caters to the need of people residing at Dabolim, Mormugao as well as Vasco. Similarly expectations of the people always remained high. Scattered government offices, located in different buildings at different locations and are not visitor friendly is another major issue in Vasco. People want an administrative building for which the work has already begun. Side by side even the work for the KTC terminal project has begun. People here need proper vegetable, fish and meat market besides upgradation of existing municipal market. A proposal for all such projects have been made but work on the ground could not start.
“For vegetable market I had proposed to do away with an internal road inside existing vegetable market so that the area could be used to construct market. However, due to administrative delay this project is yet to become reality. Similarly funds for the fish market were sanctioned, however, due to objections raised by the fish vendors over the proposed plan, even this market remained pending” said Almeida.
The city also needs proper housing project for the slum dwellers at Mangor-Hill and Gandhinagar. Similarly the citizens want to live in coal pollution free atmosphere. The city also needs holistic traffic master plan to resolve the issue of parking and congestion as citizens coming down to this city have been facing daunting task due to movement of heavy vehicles to MPT and lack of parking.
