VASCO: To kick start the long pending repairs and renovation of the Mormugao Municipal Council’s administrative building, presently housing 12 government offices including a canteen and municipality-run municipal high School.
Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida along with MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik, on Friday, convened an emergency meeting of all the heads of departments having their offices in the municipal building, to instruct them to vacate the premises occupied by them on war footing.
During the hour long meeting held at Janta Vachanalya, several officers from Central and State government departments raised their serious concerns over non-availability of suitable alternate premises. They claimed that they would not obstruct the renovation work and should be allowed to continue functioning from the municipal building.
However, Almeida rejected all such pleas, but assured his full cooperation in finding suitable place to shift their respective offices, as the repair and renovation work would be taken up in the first week of November so as to be complete the same by May 2017.
Presently, the offices of the deputy collector and mamlatdar, Post office, Excise Department, office of Civil Supplies, BSNL, office of treasury, comunidade, health department are located in the Municipal building and importantly on the ground floor.
Besides, the municipal high school, Janta Vachanalaya (public library) and MMC’s own administration section is located in the same building on first floor.
“The renovation and repair of the Municipal building is being taken up at a cost of Rs 8 crore. The work has been tendered and within one month all the formalities would be completed; so that, by the first week of November we should be in position to take up the work,” Almeida informed newsmen.
“Today clear directions have been issued to all officers concerned to vacate the premises occupied by them. We are also trying to help them in finding alternate place including at the MPT building opposite Vasco railway station and another building housing the Punjab National Bank. We expect this work to be over by May 2017 and we have set a target to shift back in the first week of May 2017,” Almeida added.
He said that the whole building would be renovated; roofs, doors and windows would be changed; besides, a lift would be installed for senior citizens and disabled persons. Similarly, even the offices in the building will be changed providing new cabins to all the officers and modern type partition for the staff.
MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik said, “My first priority is to get the municipal building renovated and ready for offices. To do so, I need the help from these offices to shift. However, when they return after repairs, we would allot them offices only after settlement of pending rent dues.”
