It appears that the launch of projects in the State depends largely on political will, irrespective of whether the project is completed or not.
The new Dabolim airport terminal is yet to be completed, but that did not stop the central and State governments from going ahead with a ‘soft launch’ of the building on December 3.
On the other hand, the new market complex at Valpoi has been completed about five months ago and yet, the complex is yet to be thrown open to shopkeepers and the public, thereby depriving residents of a much-needed shopping complex for the town.
Technical formalities have prevented the Valpoi Municipal Council (VMC) from taking custody of the project and angry shopkeepers have now threatened to launch an indefinite strike in front of the new market complex.
The Valpoi market complex has a provision for 60 shops and 27 stalls, besides parking facilities in the basement and a fish market. While 30 shops will be allotted to shopkeepers, the remaining shops and stalls will be auctioned at a later date.
Aggrieved that they were made to vacate their shops from the old market building on April 1, 2011 to make way for the new market complex, the aggrieved shopkeepers have blamed the VMC for the inordinate delay in allotting shops in the new building.
“All of us shopkeepers have had to face hardships without shops and we were hit by heavy losses since the past two-and-half years and we did not get any compensation for this,” said Valpoi Shopkeepers Association Executive Member Narendra Shirodkar.
“We have now decided to stage an indefinite protest till VMC allots the shops to us in the new complex,” he added.
Another aggrieved shopkeeper, Sandath Shirodkar, said the shopkeepers had met various authorities, including Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, urging them to expedite shop allotment in the new market complex.
“We got nothing except for some assurances. In our agreement with the VMC, it was stated that we would be given shops in the new complex within 15 months. But over 30 months have passed and VMC is yet to allot shops to us,” said Shirodkar. “The shopkeepers have completed all formalities and VMC even initiated the process of issuing electricity meters to the shopkeepers. So, I cannot understand this inordinate delay,” he added.
VMC Chairman Ramdas Shirodkar confirmed that the new market complex is ready for use, but said the GSIDC was yet to hand over the complex to VMC.
“VMC is completing all formalities to allot shops to the shopkeepers, but we are yet to receive any official intimation from the GSIDC. Unless GSIDC hands over this project to the VMC, we cannot hand over shops to the shopkeepers,” said Shirodkar.
GSIDC sources revealed that the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department had inspected the building, but is yet to give its clearance to the project.
“The building will be handed over to VMC only after obtaining a clearance from the TCP and we cannot predict the time it will take to get this clearance,” admitted a GSIDC official.
