Govt has task cut out as infra works need big push in Mapusa

THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
For long, big-ticket development projects has been eluding the city of Mapusa. A lot of promises were made in the past but they were confined only on paper (read manifesto).
With Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant taking over as the CEO of the State and after the election of Joshua D’Souza as the new MLA of Mapusa there was huge expectation that projects which were stuck would finally come to fruition.
Several projects have also received in-principle sanction from the government raising hopes that infrastructure development will now get a shot in the arm.
From new bus-stand to market redevelopment plan and four-lane Tar Bridge to underground power cabling, the capital of Bardez has been yearning for change.
The Goan brings a low down of several projects that have received government nod but are stuck at different levels for reasons best known to the government.
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NEW BUS-STAND
The State government has plans to construct a new bus-stand at an estimated cost of around Rs 200 crore, which will come up on an area of around 19,000 sq mt.
The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) had prepared the estimates and design of the project and forwarded it to the transport department, an official in the know informed.
The government has also provisionally approved the construction plan.
It may be recalled in the first phase land-filling of the acquired area for the bus-stand was taken up in 2015 at an estimated cost of Rs 1.32 crore.
In phase two, a 25-metre wide road was supposed to be constructed connecting the new bus-stand to the NH17 (now NH 66) about 200 metres before the Mapusa-Bastora junction.
Phase three included construction of the new bus-stand and converting the present bus-stand into a parking lot.
Soon after his election, Mapusa MLA, Joshua D’Souza said his top priority will be construction of new bus-stand in Mapusa.
Transport Minister, Mauvin Godinho has also made a statement on the floor of the House in the monsoon session of the assembly that foundation stone for the new bus-stand will be laid on October 4, birthday of late Francisco D’Souza, former MLA of Mapusa.
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MARKET RE-DEVELOPMENT
The refurbishment of Portuguese-era market in Mapusa got a boost after former chief minister, Manohar Parrikar made a provision of Rs 20 crore as a special grant in his 2017 budget.
The government had also appointed a consultant, who had drawn up a plan to rejuvenate the market in two phases.
As per the plan, the renovation of first three lanes “ cloth merchants lane, Dangui Opticians lane, Café Corner lane and the two extreme side lanes (one adjacent to the KTC bus-stand and the other adjacent to the fish market) in the market will be taken up in the first phase.
The development of the area housing flower market and the shops around it and the land housing Paradise Pharmacy will be taken up in the second phase.
As per plans the existing market will get a roof cover without carrying out any major demolition to the existing structures.
The existing structures in the market will be upgraded and a host of utility services like electrical, plumbing, telephones etc will be moved underground.
As per the plan vendor space has been demarcated and a dedicated pedestrian space has also been created.
It may be recalled MMC had given a go-ahead to the re-development plan in January 2018.
In May this year, Mapusa Chairperson, Ryan Braganza had said the government had sanctioned an amount of Rs 20 crore and work on the renovation was expected to start within next three to four months.
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UNDERGROUND POWER CABLING
The electricity department has prepared estimates for underground power cabling works in Mapusa which has got provisional sanction from the government.
As per the plans all high tension and low tension lines in the market area and high tension lines in other parts of the city will be laid underground.
The cost for the underground power cabling project is estimated at around Rs 131 crore.
A high-level official in the electricity department informed that the power minister has also given a go-ahead for the underground cabling plan.
“It’s now up to the government now to tender the job and issue work order,” the official informed.
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FOUR LANE TAR BRIDGE
The PWD has already drawn up plans to build a four-lane Tar Bridge in place of the present one which has outlived its purpose.
As per the project report the four-lane bridge of 30 metre span was expected to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 8.46 crore which included channelization, protective measures, illumination and construction of traffic islands on both sides of the bridge.
According to the plan the present bridge is expected to be demolished and the new four-lane bridge will be erected in its place.
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INSET STORY
Headline: Sewerage, other works remain incomplete
THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
In many cases, works taken up in Mapusa have failed to adhere to its completion deadline leaving the residents fuming.
Work on the sewerage project was started in 2013 but even after six years there seem to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
The pipeline laying work has been completed more than a year back and sewerage treatment plant has also been set up but the project has just remained stuck.
The PWD had contracted the job to lay the sewerage network to Simplex Infrastructures Ltd in 2012 and it was scheduled to be completed in 2015.
The cost of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded sewerage project both for Mapusa and Calangute was estimated at Rs 152.72 crore.
In the beginning of this year, the government had inaugurated the “College of Physiotherapy & Training Centre” at the restored old Asilo Hospital in Mapusa but so far the building remains empty.
GSIDC had renovated the building at a cost of around Rs 4 crore.
Similarly, several works taken up by GSUDA are yet to reach to its logical end.
The agency has drawn up plan to overhaul and give a smart look to the crucial road stretch from Union Pharmacy to the Mapusa Urban Coop Bank (Nandadeep).