PANJIM: In a move which will help improve immensely the quality of works undertaken by the Public Works Department, 30 engineers of the department are upgrading their skills with further education.
Information reveals that 30 Senior Engineers from the PWD have taken admission for a special two-year MTech course in Transport and Bridge Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani. What is even more interesting is that PWD Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar is one of the students for the course.
“Technology is improving with every passing day and to keep yourself abreast with the latest, you have to be on your toes,” Parsekar told Herald. He said this is a good opportunity for the engineers, including himself, to improve their capabilities.
Parsekar further said that the engineers do not have to miss work as the classes are held every Saturday at Conference Hall at PWD headquarters in Panjim via audio visual lectures. “I want to keep pace with whatever developments are happening in my sector,” he said.
Asked whether completing an MTech course at this age is not taxing, Parsekar, 55, said, “If there is a will there is a way. You want to do something you need to take time out for that.”
Another engineer undergoing the course but not wanting to be named said it will help engineers as well as the department. “BITS, Pilani is one of the best institutes in the country and getting a post graduate degree from the institute will definitely help,” he said.
What is even more interesting is that the 30 engineers are doing the course at their own expense, which works out to around Rs 2 lakh for each. “Money isn’t an issue here, we are all paid well. We are happy the government has given an administrative approval for further studies,” said another engineer.
The PWD engineers move could be a lesson for other departments like Electricity, which does not have qualified engineers to take up the job of Chief Engineer, and have to depend on the Power Grid or other institutions to provide an official on deputation.
“I do not want to comment on other departments. Someone brought it to my notice and I said it was a good initiative so I decided to go ahead,” said Parsekar.
