TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Draft Master Plan for the holistic development of Panjim could take as many as 15 years to be implemented in all respects, if accepted by the government and consistently followed up, Managing Director of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Sanjit Rodrigues said.
Rodrigues however said that once the plan is accepted it will be a guiding document for the various government departments to go ahead with their respective share of the works.
“In totality it may take 15 years to complete. But, what is important is that we have a plan in place that we are following. The PWD and the Water Resource department will know, when undertaking any project, what the plan is for the city and stick to it,” Rodrigues said.
The draft master plan for the holistic development of Panjim has extensively designed all aspects of Panjim including mobility, utilities, green and public spaces, heritage including tourism and city branding.
Part of the plans include new access points into Panjim including a bridge behind the new central library at Patto, four laning of a 400 metre stretch from Rua de Ourem towards Four Pillar entry points through Altinho, and from the Goa University side. Also included are new ferry points, parking lots, etc.
This besides a new bus transit system, non-motorized zones, pay parking and other mobility options that have been proposed.
While implementing the mobility and utility aspects of the plan which will be the biggest task, aspects such as green and public spaces as proposed in the plan are also a huge task. This includes Ribandar Biodiversity park, a riverfront park, a promenade from Children’s Park to Miramar, an Auditorium and Oceanarium near the Miramar Circle, developing the coastline from Miramar to Dona Paula with cycling lanes, pedestrianizing the Dona Paula, etc, developing St Inez Creek, besides developing a city welcome centre along the Ourem creek where the current PWD offices lie and a ring road kind of cycling track, where one can pick up and drop cycles at various locations.
Speaking of the kind of response they have received and Sanjit said that it was not restricted only to the elite of Panjim, but even included various associations and the “common man”.
“There has been response also from the common man and we are encouraged by it,” Sanjith said when asked whether the man on the street was aware of what was being conceptualized.
