the goan I network
SANGUEM
Residents of Netravali have expressed displeasure over the slow pace of construction work on a playground in the village.
The villagers have claimed that the contractor allotted the construction work has been too slow in undertaking the project and they fear that the work would take at least two years to get completed.
Considering the problems faced by residents in the absence of any playground in the village, some locals said the State government had acquired an open area opposite the Government High School at Netravali four years ago for the construction of the playground.
“The open space was earlier used by the village youth and school students to play outdoor games. Soon after the acquisition process, the government floated a contract to construct and develop a football ground in the village and the project was allotted to a contractor four years back,” said a youth.
With ongoing construction work, the youth complained that locals and children have now been denied of the lone open space, which had earlier been available to them.
Four years have passed and nothing much has happened at the open place, the youth added.
A villager, Ajay Gaonkar, claimed that the State government should have a prescribed time limit for the contractor to complete the work, failing which the work should be given to some other contractor.
“The contractor is delaying construction work on the ground at Netravali as he has other projects allotted to him by the government elsewhere. To avoid such delays, the State government should restrict the works allotted to a contractor during a certain period of time,” said Gaonkar.
Another youth claimed that it would take at least two more years to complete the work, going by the slow pace of work on the playground.
When contacted, Netravali Deputy Sarpanch Abhijit Desai admitted that construction work on the playground has been moving at a very slow pace.
