SHWETA KAMAT
Panjim received Rs 60 crore cash injection in 2015-16 to rejuvenate urban transformation. Even as this money equally shared by the centre and the state, lay unspent, it has managed to secure another Rs 70 crores in 2016-17 in the State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) for Panjim city.
The funding for 2016-17 is aimed at giving a major facelift under Central Government’s ambitious Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) – wherein Goa State Infrastructure development Corporation (GSIDC) will now be undertaking works worth Rs 130 crores.
To be fair to the implementing agency, the GSIDC, the fudns for the financial year actually arrived in February 2016, barely a month before the year closing.
GSIDC has been named the designated body for managing and implementing Amrut scheme in Panjim while Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Commissioner Deepak Desai has been appointed the mission director.
When contacted, Desai said that under SAAP for 2015-16, ten projects were identified under the scheme by spending Rs 60 crores. “GSIDC is the implementing agency here,” he said. The Centre released 29.72 crores for the projects in February, while the state government has pitched in an equal sum, bringing the total amount of money sanctioned for 2015-16 to 59.44.
The ten projects include the beautification and pedestrianisation of Cafe Bhosle square, a new pedestrian bridge linking Central Library to the pedestrian bridge over Rua de Ourem creek, rejuvenation of Altinho steps cluster, rejuvenation of Mandovi river promenade from children’s park to Miramar youth hostel, redevelopment of internal lanes of Mala, phase II of the beautification of the beach front promenade at Miramar, beautification and upgradation of Azad Maidan square and development of mangrove boardwalk along Central Library side of Rua de Ourem creek.
While GSIDC managing director Sanjit Rodrigues remained unavailable for the comments, sources said that Corporation has invited tenders for around 9.34 crore work, with last date for submission of the bids being June 27.
This works include-Rejuvenation and Redevelopment of Internal Lanes of Mala, Beautification and Upgradation of Azad Maidan Square, Rejuvenation of Clusters of Lanes of Althinho Steps.- Phase I, Refurbishment of existing pedestrian bridge linking central library and creek and Rejuvenation of Clusters of Lanes of Althinho Steps.- Phase II.
“Once the tenders are issued, the contractor has to complete the work within six to eight months,” sources said adding three proiects are awaiting financial approval and two are before public works department technical committee for its nod.
When asked the reason for delay over tendering of the works, sources said that the Centre funds were released around three-four months back, post which seeking all necessary clearances, bids were invited.
For the current SAAP, the focus is been laid on Urban Transportation, wherein the pedestrianization concept would be introduced in most parts of the city. Rupees 70 crores would be spent on this project.
While the plans look good on paper, if the absolute destruction of the 84 crore Miramar Dona Paula road reconstruction and the total failure to clean up the St Inez Creek are examples of Panim’s rejuvenation, we are looking at many years of long slumber and urban decay ahead.
