Says he is on threshold of getting Rs 800 crore under JNURM
TEAM?HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Panjim Mayor Surendra Furtado sought to discredit the Imagine Panjim draft wholistic development plan for Panjim, terming it redundant while claiming that he is on the threshold of securing nearly Rs 800 crore for a comprehensive mobility plan under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM).
Speaking at a panel discussion on the Imagine Panjim draft wholistic plan, Furtado reiterated his ability to secure the funds and get things going for the city of Panjim with the help of the commissioner.
“I have sent DPRs (draft project reports) to Delhi. I will camp there if needed. This is still at a planning stage. My DPRs are already in Delhi,” Furtado said adding that the plan thought up by the consultant was a “cut-paste job” based on earlier plans drawn up by previous consultants.
CCP Commissioner and Managing Director of GSIDC Sanjit Rodrigues, however, said that the plan drawn up should be used as a framework, a kind of strategy document for the future development of Panjim.
“The people of Panjim should come together and decide that whoever be the mayor, whoever be the commissioner, whoever be the chief minister, whatever development is coming in Panjim should follow this plan, or whatever we finally agree upon, as a guiding document,” Rodrigues said.
Chief Town Planner S T Putturaju in his comments said that the frustration of the people of the city with traffic congestion, parking problems, etc should be channelized into doing something positive for the city instead of shooting down every proposal that the government, the authorities or the planners come up with.
The panel discussion also involved Manguirish Pai Raikar, the immediate past president of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who stressed that the CCP should solve the issues that it can, like removing the tourist taxis which, he said, occupy more than one-third of the parking slots in Panjim; taking care of the footpaths, etc.
“We should not be made guinea pigs in the search for a proper plan for the city,” he said.
