MARGAO
As the Margao Municipal Council building completes 118 glorious years on April 30, city planners, architects, politicians and citizens may have to answer this simple question – will the over-century-old building meet the civic requirements for the next 50 years and beyond when acute space crunch has hit the heritage structure?
Indeed, a host of questions have come to the fore concerning the heritage building, including the moot question – if the imposing heritage structure is facing a space crunch in 2023, how would the building cater to the future requirement in 2050 and beyond?
The MMC has knocked on the doors of the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) to renovate and deck up the imposing city landmark and restore its grandeur with a coat of paint and repairs. These cosmetic changes, besides repairs to the roof, windows, doors and the ageing walls may help to give a new lease of life to the heritage structure, but will these changes help in any way to add a single inch of space in the municipal building?
Consider this. Just a casual round of the municipal building would bring to the fore the bitter truth that space crunch is the order of the day. Cupboards, files, scrap items et al all line up along the building corridors and passages upstairs. The entire passage around the municipal building and the corridor is dotted with cupboards containing official files, be it of the administration, taxation, accounts etc.
A close look at the building would reveal that the passage adjoining the Chief Officer’s chamber is playing host to administration. A portion of the passage, in between the administration section and casher, plays host to the electricity cell of the civic body.
The less said the better vis-à-vis the corridor in the various sections of the municipal building. While the corridor leading to the municipal hall, and the chambers of the Chairperson, Chief Officer and the councillors’ room is free from any encroachment, that is not the case vis-à-vis the corridor on the building’s eastern side with cupboards narrowing the space meant for the public.
Welcome to the Administrative section, which plays host to the birth and death records, especially files relating to the correction of names. Official files have piled up on the desktops inside the section, turning the office into an eyesore. Sources, however, pointed out that some of the files have piled up in the office over the years since the administration is yet to take up the data entry work.
A staffer pointed out that the administrative section is hit by an acute space crunch, which has not been addressed over the years.
“We do not blame anyone for the mess, but space constraint is a reality in the civic body. We are presently in 2023 and there’s no space to house the files with the cupboards all full of documents,” he said.
He added: "If space has hit the administration in 2023, just imagine what would be the situation in 2050 and beyond given that the MMC is a heritage building with no scope for expansion.”
Can annexe building solve space woes?
MARGAO
Will an annexe building or a similar space arrangement be an answer to the space woes plaguing the Margao municipal heritage building, keeping in mind the future requirements of the A-Class civic body?
This question may be a subject of debate as the MMC has resolved to take up multi-level vehicular parking, just a stone’s throw behind the municipal building at the old fish market. For, many in private may say that reserving a floor in the multi-level parking lot, may come in handy to store old files and documents, and to de-congest the heritage building.
A municipal official pointed out that when the MMC had drawn up the plan for the multi-level parking project at the old fish market, a provision was made, reserving one floor in the multi-storied parking building for office use.
Sources, however, said since the project has been handed over to the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) for execution, plans are reportedly afoot to scrap the space reserved for the civic office space. Instead, a food court is being planned in the building on the ground that commercial activity would ensure the economic viability of the parking project.
Renovation to be on lines of Mormugao civic building
MARGAO
Renovation of the Margao municipal building by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) will be on the lines of the work recently carried out to the Mormugao municipal building.
GSUDA officials, however, informed that the renovation of the Margao municipal building proposal will come up before the Board chaired by Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane for discussion and approval.
Sources informed that the renovation work, estimated to cost around Rs 3.5 crore, includes painting, repairs to the floors, walls etc, besides roofing to the building. Besides, it is proposed to set up compartments for the optimum utilization of the available space to meet the requirements.
A GSUDA official, however, admitted in private that it is high time the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) take a call for a long-term solution to the office space crunch.
“I am not saying the MMC should go for an annexe building on the lines of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP). But, at the same time, the MMC should explore ways how to meet future office requirements,” the official added.
The MMC has three prime properties, one at the old fish market, just 50 metres from the existing MMC building, the old bus stand, and besides acquired land at Malbhat. Of these prime properties, the old fish market is just a stone’s throw away from the MMC building, which is now proposed to be developed for multi-level parking.
Civic officials say reserving a floor in the multi-level parking project may be a solution to the space constraints plaguing the MMC building.
