the goan I network
MAPUSA:
With quality of work and maintenance in mind, it’s almost certain that the new bus-stand in Mapusa will be constructed on Public Private Partnership model.
A functionary at the
Chief Minister’s Office informed that Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar was of the opinion that the best way forward for good quality work was through PPP and the new bus-stand should be constructed based on that model.
Although the meeting with the CM and transport officials did not take place last week, Parrikar spoke to Transport Minister, Sudin Dhavlikar and requested him to expedite the work on Mapusa bus-stand.
“Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s meeting on the issue of Mapusa bus-stand could not take place as the director of transport was on leave. But the CM has spoken to the transport minister and requested him to take the work on Mapusa bus-stand on priority,” a functionary at the CMO said.
He said the Chief Minister stressed on the PPP model considering the quality of work and more importantly keeping in mind the maintenance of the project in the long term.
“Since the project will be at the entrance of the city, the CM wanted that it should be one of its kind and not an edifice that will turn into an eyesore,” the functionary informed.
He said the PPP model was nearly finalized and only the modalities will have to be worked out which will now be done in the meeting with the director of transport early next year.
There was delay on taking a decision in the matter, as there were some issues on what model to adopt to construct the project.
Initially, the transport minister wanted to build the bus-stand from centrally funded transport scheme.
“The file was moving between the transport department and the chief secretary for more than a year now,” a source familiar with the transport department informed.
“The chief minister then called for the file and even put it up before the cabinet and got it cleared later,” the source added.
It may be recalled land-filling of the acquired area was taken up in 2015 as first phase of work on the new bus-stand 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 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.
For the last three years, however, there has been no progress whatsoever on the project.
WAY FORWARD
CM stressed on the PPP model considering the quality of work and more importantly keeping in mind the maintenance of the project in the long term
Since the project will be at the entrance of the city, the CM wants that it should be one of its kind and not an edifice that will turn into an eyesore
The PPP model is nearly finalized and only the modalities will have to be worked out which will now be done in the meeting with the director of transport early next year
