The Ponda Municipal Council’s Golden Jubilee Signature Project which has witness two foundation stone laying ceremonies is yet to see the light of the day.
It may be recalled that two foundation stones for the signature project were laid in 2011 by the then Congress government and later by the then BJP-MGP coalition Government in 2014.
The project was sanctioned in 2011 under which a six-storey building was proposed. It witnessed two foundation stone laying ceremonies hitting the roadblock only because the contractor had suddenly abandoned its construction work. With the monsoon fast approaching, the contractor has failed to construct even the first floor of the six storey building. The centering work of the first floor is ready however no concrete slab has been laid as yet.
The Ponda civic body has so far had paid Rs 1.40 crore to contractor to get the work completed. Except for the foundation work for basement and centering work on first floor, the project is incomplete as the contractor abandoned the same. People suspect that the contractor may have turned bankrupt to have abandoned the work.
The Project was sanctioned during erstwhile Congress government to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Goa’s Liberation. The then MLA and minister Ravi Naik had laid the foundation stone for the project on December 19 , 2011 followed by PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar laying the same on May 19, 2014. The Ponda civic body had cleared the project plan in 2015. Initially, the project cost was estimated to be Rs two crore which later doubled on account of its delay. The construction work began in July and was supposed to be completed in 2016.
PMC Chief Officer Navnath Naik says, “More than six months after commencing the work, the contractor abandoned the work for reasons best known to him. We had the paid him an amount of Rs 1.40 crore for the work. We are pursuing the project and are trying to contact him but he is not responding nor has he given any submission as to why he has halted the work. We will issue him a show cause notice. Under Golden Jubilee funds, Rs two crore were sanctioned and later PMC had asked for more funds to the tune of Rs 2.38 crore as cost had increased on account of the project delay. Government has agreed to provide Rs 4.38 crore for the same.”
“The project will have two small multiplexes on two floors, a cafeteria, food courts, a library and the basement will have two water tanks while another tank will be used for rainwater harvesting. A parking lot will be constructed behind the building. Around 70 tonnes of steel is being used for the project, which will be first of its kind in the State. The building is being constructed through GSIDC,” Naik said.
