'Smart city' road digging starts near Panjim Church square, blocking the road heading to Altinho and Patto. Captured by : Narayan Pissurlenkar
PANAJI
Christmas shoppers in Panaji landed in traffic chaos throughout the day with contractors continuing to excavate roads in more areas of the city on Saturday, especially in the peak morning and late evening hours.
Road digging to continue work on the new sewerage system under 'Smart City' was carried out in at least a dozen new locations in the city and its periphery on Saturday.
Crucial traffic circulating spots where digging has disrupted the flow included the the Taj Vivanta junction in St Inez and at least two other four-arm junctions along the MG Road near the Govinda building and the Alfran Plazza commercial complex in the market area.
Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) had officially sought permission from North Goa collector to shut at least three of the city's thoroughfare roads to enable its contractors complete the residual works.
The smart city's special purpose vehicle which is headed by the State's Chief Secretary and has Civil Supplies Secretary Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS, as its managing director and CEO, has until March 31 next year to complete all the projects under the Smart City mission.
The State government has also refrained from relieving Rodrigues who had earlier been transferred by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to Ladakh citing its requirement of his services to finish the smart city projects before the deadline set by the Centre.
