MARGAO
This is the tale of a Christmas tree that has enlivened the Margao Comunidade Square, transforming it into a lively place, and two heritage structures, symbols of apathy and decay, that have stood for centuries and decades.
Indeed, a festive spirit of Christmas pervades the Margao Comunidade Square amidst the hustle and bustle of the commercial capital. From a place that, until yesterday, resembled a vending zone, swarmed by migrants, a Christmas tree and decorations have given a much-needed facelift in the heart of the town, though temporarily, ahead of the Christmas festivities.
Sadly, the city’s major landmarks adjacent to the Comunidade Square “ the Margao Municipal heritage building and the South Goa Administrator of Comunidade building “ are both crying out for attention.
The 118-year-old Portuguese-era Margao Municipal building and the Administrator of Comunidade building, the seat of the Comunidades from the South Zone, have been craving attention over the years, but in vain. Leave alone repairs and renovation, these two buildings, located a stone’s throw away from each other, have not even received a fresh coat of paint in the last decade, leaving these two heritage structures in a state of neglect and apathy.
Despite the fact that these two structures have shown signs of crumbling over the years, attempts to protect the heritage buildings have been confined to the record books.
Take note, these two structures do not enjoy the best of health, but there have seemed to be no proactive measures forthcoming from the authorities to restore these buildings to their pristine glory.
Century-old Margao municipal building: A symbol of apathy
The monsoons have retreated, but the plastic sheets put up on the windows of the Margao municipal building to stop rainwater seepage continue to hang on the heritage structure. One can also spot vegetation and trees growing on the building.
Though an eyesore, the Margao municipality seems to have apparently decided to clear the vegetation and pull down the plastic sheets from the windows when the heritage structure is taken up for painting.
The Margao municipal heritage structure has been craving attention for the last decade, due to the lack of repairs, renovation, and a fresh coat of paint. The Margao city fathers had knocked on the doors of the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) to take up the renovation work on the building. After months of follow-up and reminders, the GSUDA-appointed consultant has finally decided to prepare estimates for the renovation work.
In the meantime, the Municipal Council, headed by Chairperson Damu Shirodkar, has floated a Rs 13-lakh tender to paint the municipal building. If sources are to be believed, the process has reached the stage of issuing a work order to the contractor to commence and complete the work within 90 days, indicating that the MMC building will receive a fresh coat of paint only in the first quarter of the New Year.
Chairperson Shirodkar says: “We have decided to paint the municipal building since it has turned shabby, and the proposed renovation work will take some time. The building will soon get back the old colour “ brick red “ which was associated with the heritage structure.”
Administrator of Comunidade building
The Administrator of Comunidade building has been the seat of the Comunidades from South Goa since Liberation in 1961. The imposing structure has been a major landmark in the heart of the commercial capital, alongside the adjoining Margao Municipal building.
The building, however, is presently under lock and key, with the office currently functioning from the Old Collectorate building due to rainwater seepage during the monsoons.
Components of South Goa Comunidades, under the banner of the South Goa Comunidade Forum, have been insisting on repairs to the building over the years. Former PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral had initiated a move to restore the building to its former glory during his tenure. However, the fate of the tender floated by the PWD remains unknown.
Hopes were raised when the outgoing South Goa district Collector, Asvin Chandru, issued directions to the South Zone Comunidade Administrator to follow up with the PWD on the proposal to repair the Comunidade building.
Last month, the South Goa Comunidades Forum wrote a letter to the District Collector, lamenting that nothing had been done by the Administrator of Comunidades regarding repairs to the building.
“The forum pointed out to the Collector that the meeting had decided that the Administrator of Comunidades would follow up on the repairs proposal with the PWD. Further, the Administrator was directed to take steps to evict all unlawful occupants in the building under the Public Premises Act. Nothing has been done by the Administrator of Comunidades in this regard to date,” the forum lamented.
