CANACONA
With several deadlines missed over the years, there are indications that the Ravindra Bhavan in Canacona taluka is now getting ready for inauguration on Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar’s birthday on July 17, 12 years after the foundation stone for the much-awaited project was laid on his birthday in 2012.
According to sources, over 90% of the works at the Ravindra Bhavan are complete and the remaining works are expected to be completed within the next two months.
“Even if some minor works remain incomplete, they will be carried out within the next 20-25 days of the inauguration. But, the inauguration of Canacona’s Ravindra Bhavan will be held on July 27,” said a source.
The Rs 59.28 crore project is being planned on land measuring of 8,306 sq mtrs in the heart of Chaudi in Canacona.
The Ravindra Bhavan project at Canacona has missed several deadlines, ever since the foundation stone was laid by then chief minister late Manohar Parikar on the occasion of birthday celebrations of then sports minister Ramesh Tawadkar on July 27, 2012.
At the time, Parrikar had informed that work on this prestigious project would begin in September 2013 and would be completed by 2015.
However, construction work began only in 2017, just before the code of conduct for the Assembly elections that year and the deadline for completion was 2019.
Construction work, however, continued at snail’s pace, inviting the wrath of then Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes, who bitterly complained to the GSIDC over the inordinate delay in executing the works and even raised the issue in the Assembly.
The GSIDC then assured to complete the pending works by December 19, 2020.
With yet another change in guard at the state and in Canacona, Arts and Culture Minister Govind Gaude had inspected the ongoing work and had informed that Ravinda Bhavan in Canacona would be completed by August of 2023 and accordingly, had issued directions to the Arts and Culture Director.
A short while later, Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar had also inspected the ongoing works and declared that the project would be completed by Sept-Oct 2023.
When all these deadlines lapsed, locals were hoping against hope that the project would be completed by January 26, and that date passed as well.
With only internal works underway, many were hoping that the project would get inaugurated on Goa Statehood Day, especially since Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude has been keen to throw open the project for public use very soon.
While the works continue to linger on, it is learnt that Tawadkar is eager to inaugurate the project on his birthday (July 27), even if the internal works are not fully complete in all respects.
