PANJIM: The government has cited monsoon and G20 meetings as reasons for the delay in completion of some of the projects under the Smart City Mission. Citizens though allege poor planning and lack of accountability for the project being dragged for eight years.
Goa government has blamed monsoon for the slow progress of works of the projects such as restoration, refurbishment interior design of office premises of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL), round the clock water supply with SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) for Panjim city and development of pedestrian spine and revitalization of Patto-Area-Mangrove Boardwalk behind Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) land. The cost of these three projects is over Rs 100 crore.
The govt has informed that the work worth Rs. 3.75 crore for beautification and pedestrianization of Café Bhonsle square was kept on hold due to G20 meetings while the delay in development of Smart Ribandar with operation and maintenance of selected facilities costing around Rs 70 crore was due to non-availability of work front due to G20 and road diversions.
In a written reply tabled during the recently concluded monsoon session of the State Assembly, the government has claimed to have completed 16 projects of the total 36. It has not specified the reasons for delay of nine different projects worth Rs 160 crore for which the works either commenced or the work order was issued in 2022.
Delay in obtaining approval from different departments, changes in design/plan and delay in obtaining NOCs from the departments concerned are the other reasons given for delay in completion of the projects.
Former CCP Mayor Surendra Furtado said that the government can’t wash its hands off by giving monsoon and G20 as excuse for delay in completion of the projects.
“Smart city projects were in the pipeline from the last five years. What were they doing for five years? Whatever the IPSCDL has done in Panjim there is no accountability and nobody knows which department is doing what work. Nobody in the CCP is interested to know what is happening with the projects. The officials of the CCP’s technical cell and engineers ought to be on the field to monitor the work. Everything has gone down the drain nobody knows which department has dug where. Lot of kickbacks have been taken so nobody is bothered,” he said.
Social activist Mahesh Mhambrey said, “The implementation of smart city projects began in 2015 and we are in 2023 now. The projects should have been completed in five years however Goa government has been given eight years. Why the authorities concerned waited for so long to seek approvals? Government can’t give excuses and fool the people.”
Political activist Cecille Rodrigues said that the delay in implementing certain projects has led to present mess in the city. “The government should have kept people’s convenience in mind first and planned accordingly. Smart City project was not smartly planned,” she said.
