PANAJI
Confusion over responsibility for repairing two stretches of road in Panaji amid ongoing debate over the quality of work by the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited prompted the Bombay High Court at Goa to adjourn a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to next week.
During the hearing on Friday, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) informed the Bench that the two road stretches fall under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department (PWD), not the CCP. The government had earlier submitted to the Court that the roads from All India Radio to Joggers Park via Doordarshan, and from St Inez Junction to Campal Trade Centre, are under CCP's purview.
"PWD is maintaining it," the CCP stated, to which Advocate General Devidas Pangam countered, stating that since the road near Joggers Park was dug up by the CCP, it is the CCP’s responsibility to repair and resurface it.
“Being a CCP road, it is for this civic body to maintain it. If they are unable to do so, they must request the PWD to carry out the necessary repairs. The Joggers Park road was initially completed by the Smart City and later dug up by the CCP for underground work, so it is their duty to repair and resurface it,” the AG added.
The CCP commenced repairs near the PHQ headquarters. For this stretch from Azad Maidan intersection, passing the police station and connecting to D B Road, sewerage work was completed and the road was tarred by IPSCDL. However, CCP later undertook cross-drainage work on the stretch, which now requires tarring and restoration.
Regarding the road at Ribandar, the government informed the Court that urgent repairs will begin soon. The government on Wednesday assured the Court that work on eight of 11 road stretches will be completed within 15 days, subject to the rains.
