MARGAO
When the beautified steps were inaugurated with much fanfare a little over a decade ago, many fondly dubbed the project a “garden on steps.” The ornamental plants and lamps adorning the 100-odd steps”linking the Monte Hill Chapel to the Hospicio hospital road ” gave the pathway a charming, almost idyllic appeal.
At the time, there was even talk that the steps could become a perfect leisure spot for citizens and senior residents. Some suggested that the area could serve as an open platform for young minds to engage in outdoor activities such as painting or small competitions. In the early years, the beautified steps indeed became a favourite destination for young married couples seeking a picturesque location for photo shoots.
A decade later, however, the steps are crumbling for lack of upkeep and maintenance. The ornamental lamps are collapsing, the plants are withering, and wild grass covers much of the 100-odd steps. Waste”particularly dry waste”lies scattered across the area, reflecting the apathy and neglect of the authorities.
A walk down the steps reveals that the area has also turned into a den of anti-social activities. Beer and liquor bottles lie abandoned, apparently after night-long parties. With open access 24x7 due to the absence of gates or restricted timings”and with no security personnel or police presence”the venue has become a popular hub for late-night drinking, pushing the once-promising space into further degeneration.
Built under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme of former South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, and later handed over to the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) for maintenance, the project has been crying out for attention for years.
No agency looks after
upkeep and maintenance
It is disheartening to imagine that a project once seen as having the potential to become a vibrant leisure space in the commercial capital has been allowed to rot and decay without reason by both the elected representatives and the Margao Municipal body.
Consider this: Under the MPLAD scheme, there is no provision for maintenance and upkeep. Projects, once completed, are handed over to the local municipal body for care. Yet, in this case, neither the elected representatives”including the MLAs of Margao and Fatorda”nor the municipal authorities have shown any interest in maintaining this public asset. Even basic tasks such as clearing the overgrown grass or keeping the area free of litter and waste are not being carried out.
A citizen from Pajifond lamented that a project capable of accommodating hundreds of people at a time”one that could have emerged as a community hub”is instead being allowed to decay. “We do not know whether politics is behind the sorry state of the beautified steps. But the fact remains that the area was developed using the taxpayers’ money. The former MP did not spend from his pocket, nor do we expect the authorities or the Margao civic body to do so. At least in the interest of the city, its citizens, and its children, the place should be restored to its former glory,” he said.
The citizen warned that if the authorities fail to revive the place, residents may be compelled to take matters into their own hands”perhaps even resorting to going around with a donation bowl to collect funds to restore the project to its past beauty.
Questions over the
project's future
If the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has requested the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) to take up the beautification of the iconic Margao Municipal Garden, citizens wonder why the beautified steps project has not been given a facelift using GSIDC funds.
Similarly, since the MMC had handed over the Ana Fonte Garden near the BPS Club to the Forest Department for maintenance, questions are being raised as to why the Forest Department is not being asked to take over the beautified steps project as well”by regulating visiting hours and securing the area with proper gates.
“Where there is a will, there’s a way, so goes the old age saying. But in this case, there seems to be no will on the part of the authorities and the powers that be to restore the beautified steps project to its former glory and transform it into a community hub,” remarked a concerned citizen.
