Patto lacks proper drainages, parking spaces, say residents
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, FEB 24
CCP’s ward number 28 (dominantly the Patto area) is crying for attention of the city fathers. The number of developments with no sense of planning here is something one needs to dwell on.
Every person entering or leaving the city touches this part which extends from Patto upto the General Post Office (GPO). The new Patto Bridge and the Portuguese-era link on the Ourem creek form parts of this ward.
Residents say development in the ward has been kept on the backburner and it lacks proper drainages and parking spaces.
Sitting corporator Suresh Chopdekar from the BJP panel had won from this area in 2006 against his political rival Vithal Naik Chopdekar, who had contested on Taleigao MLA Babush Monserrate’s panel.
Vithal told Herald the ward has been neglected. “Everyone knows that in the CCP only for those who are in good books with Babush can get development. Whatever Babush says happens,” he asserted.
Parts of the ward, a gateway to Panjim, get completely inundated during the monsoons. The area around the Kadamba Bus Stand gets water logged. Till date the CCP hasn’t been able to come out with a clear-cut solution for this busy stretch.
Patto centre billed as the Nariman Point of Goa where tall buildings stand is in deplorable condition. The parking is in a mess. Locals feel they have received step-motherly treatment from the CCP, which was ruled by corporators owing allegiance to Monserrate.
“We can’t blame the sitting corporator (Chopdekar) alone. Being on the non-ruling side, it is very difficult for him to get funds sanctioned from the CCP,” a local said adding that despite the constraint he has managed to do developmental works with the support of local MLA Manohar Parrikar.
For the March 13 polls, Chopdekar’s wife Nivedita is contesting on the BJP-backed panel. She is pitted against Babush-backed panel’s Sujata Haldankar as the ward is reserved for women.
