MARGAO
The state of the South Goa Administrator of Comunidade building, a major landmark in the heart of the commercial capital, remains unknown during the current spell of monsoons, with the entrance gate to the building under lock and key.
In the recent past, rampant rain water seepage into the imposing building had resulted in waterlogging inside the premises. Even the precious archival records, which have been stacked inside the building, were left exposed to the water seepage.
However, a casual glance of the imposing building from outside reveals the sorry state of affairs. One can see with the naked eye corroded steel rods after the plaster had fallen down. Take note, the area under the building is notified as a bus halt, where one find hundreds of bus commuters during peak morning and evening hours waiting to catch a bus to various destinations in Salcete and down South.
Earlier this year, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral disclosed plans to restore the heritage building with government intervention by instructing the PWD officials to prepare estimates for the renovation work.
Components of Comunidades, however, say they are yet to receive the estimates from the PWD till date. Component of Margao comunidade Celestin Noronha pointed out that the components have no idea about the estimates prepared by the PWD. “We have always maintained that the components are ready to foot the bill of the renovation work. But, we have not yet received the estimates prepared by the PWD,” he said.
The renovation work on the building has been proposed after the Goa College of Engineering conducted the structural stability test, giving green signal for the renovation of the building.
