The fate of Mormugao taluka headquarters building was miredin controversy from day 1, when local MLA went ahead and laid the foundationstone for the building despite opposition from the locals.
The project was finalized without conducting any ground workor feasibility report.
The project has been stalled since the last five years andaccording to sources may apparently never see the light of the day.
“The proposed plan for the headquarters is faulty and thearea is very small. The project was taken up in a hurry without any feasibilityreport,” said Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, who is not very keen to pursue with theproject.
“Five years ago the project was estimated to cost Rs 18crore, which rose to Rs 22 crore when work order was issued. In the end thecontractor abandoned work due to cost escalation for bottom pilling work,”Almeida said.
Before the work order could be issued Dr Wilfred Misquitahad written to then Chief Minister, Digamber Kamat expressing hisdissatisfaction over the site.
He had said that the site was close to the main road on NH-17A,which would lead to traffic congestion.
The planned headquarters was a six storied building on anarea of 8,400 sq mts housing the offices of Dy. Collector, Mamlatdar, RTO, PWD,Civil Supplies, BDO, Commercial Tax, Excise and Land Survey. It also had afacility for a conference hall with a sitting capacity of 150 persons andminister’s chambers. The project also had three godowns at basement and parkingfacilities for 80 four wheelers and 120 two wheelers.
“We have revised the project specifications. Earlier it wasdesigned as per end-bearing pilling method. Since the contractor could nottrace rocks even after pilling for 50 meters deep, the project has been revisedto new skin-friction piling method,” said Assistant Engineer of PWD BuildingSection A D Nagarchi.
“The revised estimate has been worked out to nearly Rs 12crore and the file is sent to South Goa, collector, who has called for meetingon September 27,” Nargarchi said.
“The project was studied and approved by the technical teamof PWD. Almeida is not an expert to comment on the project nor can he simplydump the project,” said former Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’ Souza.
