After enduring nearly two years of challenging drives on the dilapidated streets of Mapusa, the much-awaited restoration of internal roads finally commenced on Friday. Deputy Speaker and Mapusa MLA, Joshua D’Souza, officially launched the restoration initiative, allocating a budget of Rs 7.8 crore for the comprehensive project.
The initiation of underground power cabling, which is nearing completion, had taken a toll on several roads, causing considerable inconvenience to the residents. The electricity department had undertaken the task of converting both high-tension and, in some areas, low-tension overhead power lines to an underground system in Mapusa.
Addressing the long-standing patience exhibited by the people of Mapusa during the disruptive underground cabling work, D’Souza assured the community that the reinstatement of various roads in the town had now commenced. The estimated cost for the complete restoration of roads amounts to Rs 7.8 crore, with the ongoing work projected to span the next few weeks until the entire city of Mapusa boasts fully restored roads.
Expressing gratitude for the cooperation of the residents during the challenges posed by the underground cabling work, D’Souza inaugurated the road restoration at Ganeshpuri, Mapusa. The event was attended by the Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council, Priya Mishal, Vice-Chairperson Viraj Phadke, Ward 6 councillor Nutan Bicholkar, as well as Assistant Engineer PWD (roads) Mahesh Shetty, JE Sandeep Karkhanis, and local community members.
D’Souza highlighted the collaborative efforts of two contractors who will work in tandem to expedite the restoration of the broken roads in the city. He also assured that the much-discussed market road would be addressed and completed in the coming days. Anticipating positive outcomes, D’Souza affirmed that Mapusa would soon boast some of the best roads in the state.
The initial focus of the restoration work was on the road adjacent to the electricity department’s sub-station at Ganeshpuri, prioritized due to extensive damage caused by the underground cabling project. With approximately 15 cables now underground along this route, this section witnessed significant disruption, making it a priority for comprehensive repair and renewal.
