Anil Kumar Mishra
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PANJIM: The capital city of Panjim is currently engulfed in chaos, with almost every road dug up for ongoing Smart City construction work. Traffic snarls have become a daily occurrence, particularly during working hours, as commuters attempt to exit the city. Some vehicles are even seen violating no-entry zones, further exacerbating the congestion. Despite many roads being designated as pay-parking areas, there is simply no space for parking, leaving motorists
frustrated.
This chaos has prompted the Goa High Court to step in, asking the State’s Advocate General to file a detailed affidavit regarding the progress and timelines for the roadworks being carried out by the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL). The Court’s intervention comes after multiple missed deadlines and widespread public frustration over the slow pace
of progress.
Sanjit Rodrigues, Managing Director and CEO of IPSCDL, remains optimistic about meeting the March 31, 2025 deadline for the project’s completion. “Work is ongoing at full speed. There are some impediments due to city roads, but we are continuing with the work,” Rodrigues said.
He explained that certain phases of the roadwork, such as laying sewage lines, must be completed before connecting new and old manholes. “We have patched the roads temporarily, but this doesn’t mean the work is finished,” he added.
Despite this assurance, doubts persist, particularly from former Panjim Mayor and current city councillor Uday Madkaikar, who questioned the feasibility of meeting the deadline. Madkaikar recalled that IPSCDL had initially assured the High Court that the work would be completed by May 31, 2024, but it later claimed that 90 per cent of the work was finished, leaving just 10 per cent to go. “Now, 30 per cent of the work remains unfinished. I don’t think they will meet the March 31 deadline,” Madkaikar said. He suggested that the work should be completed in phases, with one stretch of road finished before moving on to the next. “Why dig all the roads at once?”
he asked.
Panjim residents are equally sceptical. Nicholao Fern, a senior citizen, expressed frustration over the lack of planning. “They are hot-mixing roads today and digging them up again tomorrow. There’s no clear plan. They’ve
already missed one deadline, and I doubt the work will be completed before the assembly elections in 2027,” Fern said.
Tara Kerkar, a social activist, pointed to the inconsistency of the explanations for the delays. “Sometimes they say they are laying sewage lines, sometimes they are working on gutters. Meanwhile, there’s no parking for two-wheelers, and fines are still being imposed. People visiting government offices have nowhere to park,” she said.
Deepak Mayekar, a resident of St Inez, also expressed doubt that the work would be completed on time. “Looking at past delays, it’s hard to believe that the March 31 deadline will be met,” he said.
Wilson D’Souza, a Ribandar resident, echoed these concerns, claiming that the quality of the work was sub-standard. “Some
pavements have already broken. There’s no monitoring of the work. The CEO of IPSCDL should have been replaced by now,” he stated.
The ongoing roadworks are part of the Smart City Mission, which aims to improve urban infrastructure. Last year, the Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs stated that 90% of the project had been completed, with only 10 per cent remaining. Due to various on-ground conditions, the Ministry extended the project’s deadline to March 31, 2025, to complete the remaining work.
“These projects are in an advanced stage, but delays have occurred. It is in the interest of the people that these projects are completed, contributing to the ease of living in urban areas,” the Ministry said in a statement. However, with increasing public dissatisfaction and continued delays, it remains to be seen whether the roadworks will meet their
new deadline.
