PANAJI
North Goa Collector Mamu Hage, IAS, who inspected multiple sites in the capital city on Sunday said it is a "race against time" to complete the ongoing smart city work before the first G20 meet scheduled for April 17.
Hage, who is also the managing director and CEO of the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL), said the contractors have been intimated the deadline and that she was holding the inspections to ascertain if the deadlines set are achievable.
The Collector also said that works related to the preparations for hosting the G20 events is also simultaneously on and she was reviewing their progress as well.
"Most of the 'Smart City' work is being executed along the city's internal roads. There is no work pending on the outside DB Marg and also the Fontainhas area," Hage said of the area which is likely to be used for the G20 meet.
Hage also said that the Smart City work which is taken up is expected to be completed before the onset of the monsoon.
Discontent among both residents and visitors to the capital city has been widespread over the hardship they face due to the ongoing work.
Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, who represents Panaji, and his son Rohit Monserrate, who is the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) mayor, are both on the BoD of IPSCDL and were instrumental initially to co-ordinate between the agencies involved in executing the work.
However, the Monserrate duo, against who most of the criticism is directed alleging haphazard work and insensitivity towards the hardships faced by residents with most of the internal roads excavated, have now refused to take responsibility for the city's troubles.
Both have said that they are not personally responsible for the roads being dug and work being executed and that the agencies and contractors involved should be held accountable.
