PANJIM: Residents, businessmen, visitors, vehicle users and tourists are reeling under the dusty march of the Smart City juggernaut in Panjim. Come peak tourist season or festivities such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Christmas, New Year and now Carnival and Holi, the works of Smart City just roll on, inconveniencing and testing the patience of everyone. To say that normal life in the city has been affected very badly, will be a euphemism. Over the years and most prominently in 2023-24, businesses have suffered heavy losses. But now that the Panjim MLA and Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate has given May 31, 2024 as the deadline for completion of works, hope seems to be on the horizon for city dwellers and visitors, since the dust may finally settle on the works.
City businessman Manoj Caculo said, “This is the first time that a deadline has been given. We have no option but to wait and watch. It is good that the Panjim MLA has finally taken the responsibility. Let us see whether he is able to deliver or not. If not, he has to say sorry. People have expectation that the works will be completed, otherwise he will have to apologise.”
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“Businesses have suffered a huge financial loss. It is difficult to measure the loss over so many months. Everyone is getting kicked from all sides. We as residents and businessmen will support him to deliver on completion of Smart City works. Otherwise he has to take the responsibility.” Caculo said.
Another City Businessman Gaurish Dhond had a contrarian view. He opined, “Good things have their consequences or effects. The Smart City project will make for a better city. The only thing is that these works have been prolonged. Once the city is ready we will have a better city. There have been some shortcomings on the part of the contractor, no doubt. For instance a youth recently died (at Fontainhas, Panjim). So precautions have to be taken.”
When questioned if the Corporation of the City of Panaji should cut taxes, due to heavy losses suffered by businessmen due to the closed roads, Dhond said, “CCP will not cut the taxes. During Covid, we suffered financially, but still CCP did not relent on taxes, citing revenue collection suffers if they cut taxes. They even collected full amount of the garbage tax, even when garbage was not collected during Covid. Presently, we (businessmen) can’t help the loss in business.”
Campal resident Armando Gonsalves rued that Panjim and Panjimites had been ‘affected very badly’. “My friend told me that businesses in Panjim in general and Fontainhas in particular, have collapsed. They (Smart City contractor and workers) are inefficient. We should make a representation to the CCP that businessmen should not pay tax due to losses suffered.”
Gonsalves underlined that Campal residents have not allowed the IPSCDL to do the work in Campal. “We are not against development, but Campal residents demanded that the contractor show us the plans. All of us are united. They are not doing the work properly. Their work is a complete mess. Businessmen are losing money. Some people are resigned to their fate maybe thinking it’s their karma. But we are all disgusted,” Gonsalves bemoaned.
