PANJIM: The capital of Goa, is presently in a mess. The never ending Smart City works are spilling into the festive season although the rains were long over, to complete the works. The roads have been dug and remain in a state of disrepair. Sewage works are going on. In some places footpaths are still being laid. Traffic chaos is a daily affair. With the International Film Festival and Serendipity Arts festivals round the corner, Herald TV asked people, “Will Panjim be ready for the mega-ticket events?”
Talking about the incomplete roads in Goa, it is no longer a matter of engineering or architecture it is sheer incompetence. They have been talking for months on end, possibly years on end. There is something seriously wrong with governance. The only solution with many wonderful people trying to work for the improvement of Goa is to uproot the government, uproot the people in power, since they are completely useless and they have to be thrown out. There’s nothing much more to say. There is need to get something new, new fresh air, new fresh people. I know its easier said, then done. Unless this is done there is no hope for Goa. We are hurtling towards disaster and we have to do something on an emergency basis.
Armando Gonsalves, Resident, Panjim
There are two important events going to happen in November and December. Apart from that the Exposition of the Holy Relics of St Francis Xavier will start. Lakhs of tourists are expected to come. But most of the roads are not fit to welcome visitors, especially roads in Panjim which are in the repair mode. Months have passed. The ministers and MLAs are in a maze, they are in the maze of corruption. They do not know how to get in and get out of it. They are so much involved in corruption that they are caught up in this maze. I hope better sense prevails. God bless them.
Anthony D’Silva, Social Activist
The work has been done in some places, but again they are digging up the places where work has been done. Places where beautification was done, they are doing retouching. There are many instances such as these. Where sewerage work was done, water is getting filled. The ducts which were dug up for power cables, sewage lines and water pipelines have become death traps. The roads which were done up have developed potholes. Commuters are met with accidents and breaking limbs. They are not able to see this. Our event management government is about to host two major festivals in Panjim –one, the Serendipity Arts Festival and the other is the International Film Festival of India. There are many other smaller events. People are in a soup. There is no parking space – not even for two wheelers. It takes about an hour to find a parking slot. Imagine !
Mariano Ferrao, Social Activist