Team Herald
PANJIM: Admitting that the works under the Smart City Mission in Panjim are being executed with ‘slight slow pace’, North Goa Collector Mamu Hage on Friday said that practical difficulties are being encountered by the contractors while undertaking the works.
“Work is going on but I can see that the progress is slightly slow because there are a lot of practical difficulties. When we are trying to pull a pipe and trying to make drains as per our initial plan then we come to know about the other difficulties under the ground. It takes at least 24 hours to address it. The progress is a little slow because of multiple factors,” Hage said interacting with mediapersons, here, after inspecting the ongoing works in the capital city.
“When you talk about the speed of progress, I am not fully satisfied with a couple of projects. And that is why I am intensifying the on-site inspections,” she added.
Hage, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) informed that the contractors get very little time to work and added that full-fledged works are carried out only between November and March.
She said that of the total 8.3 kilometres long mega ‘universal walkway’ project, only 300 metres stretch have been taken up.
“Presently, the works are going on at Menezes Braganza road and near Mahalaxmi Temple. We will see the learning lessons from this monsoon. We will also see how effective our mitigation works and if there is a requirement then we will incorporate certain changes in the mega project,” she said.
Commenting on the apprehensions of the residents about the city witnessing major floods this monsoon, Hage said that the ‘universal walkway’ project is part of the flood mitigation and added that the results of this project will be seen only next year when the entire network is integrated.
When asked if she is satisfied with the quality of works, the Collector said, “Just by seeing the work you cannot draw a conclusion on the quality. It is a scientific process…to assess it you have to put it through a quality check then you can tell. I cannot say if the quality is good or bad.”
Hage said that all efforts have been put in to ensure that the ongoing works under the Smart City Mission on internal routes of Panjim city is completed before the onset of the monsoon.
