MARGAO: Offering much relief to the South Goa Advocates Association (SGAA), work on repairing the dilapidated Margao Civil and Criminal Court building has finally started.
It may be recalled that SGAA members had held protests over the danger the building posed to them and the condition of the building had rapidly deteriorated during the monsoon when water started leaking from the roof.
The lawyers had feared for the safety of their clients as well. The Margao Fire Brigade were also asked to intervene after tarpaulin sheets placed on the roof as a temporary measure had blown off during the rains.
While the PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral had inspected the building thereafter, the government was pulled up when the matter reached the High Court following a petition filed by SGAA.
The HC had then issued a deadline wherein the contractor was asked to complete the work within three months following the issuance of the work order.
PWD officials added that their department is supervising the work on the heritage building and that it should be completed by the end of January. The contractor, who received the work order on October 18 for repair and maintenance of the court building.
The cost of the work is estimated to be approximately Rs 67 lakh. The roof tiles, the damaged rafters are to be replaced as per the work order whereas a fresh paint of court is required to be applied to the internal portion of the court building.
