BLACK SPOT: The unfinished Mapusa Municipal Council administrative building stands abandoned and deteriorating, stalled for over four years.
Agnelo Pereira
MAPUSA
The construction of the new administrative building for the Mapusa Municipal Council, a project that began in December 2021 with an expected completion deadline of one year, has come to a complete standstill – nearly four years later. The delay has not only caused inconvenience to municipal staff and the public but has also raised serious safety concerns due to the deteriorating condition of the partially built structure.
The ₹2.97 crore project, intended to address long-standing space constraints at the current municipal office, remains unfinished. Construction has been stalled for almost a year, with no visible progress at the site.
Iron rods, erected for the building's pillars and used to support the centering of the first-floor roof and staircase, have rusted and corroded significantly, compromising the structural integrity of the site.
Employees and local residents fear the weakened structure may collapse, potentially causing a major accident. The under-construction building is located behind the existing municipal office – a space frequented by both staff and the public.
Visitors often park their vehicles near the construction site, while municipal employees routinely move through the area. Concerns have been raised that the neglected and decaying site is a serious hazard.
Originally approved in 2017, the project was envisioned to include basement parking, commercial spaces, a canteen on the first floor and a large hall on the second floor to accommodate municipal meetings.
The new facility was expected to alleviate overcrowding at the current building, where limited space has forced files to be stored in corridors and even on window sills. The cramped municipal hall also lacks the capacity to host council meetings comfortably.
Despite its importance, the project has been mired in delays.
Sources indicate that the contractor, Shivam Infratech, has failed to meet commitments to resume work despite repeated assurances.
Civic officials have so far remained silent on the matter, offering no clear explanation for the prolonged inactivity.
However, a senior council source confirmed that there are internal discussions to terminate the existing contract and appoint a new contractor to complete the project.
As residents and employees continue to grapple with both the inconvenience and potential dangers posed by the stalled construction, the need for swift action has become increasingly urgent.
The future of this much-needed administrative building now rests on whether the council can navigate its way out of bureaucratic and contractual deadlock.
