PANAJI
By the time flames engulfed the Mangrove Boardwalk at Patto on Friday, the damage to the Smart City project had, in many ways, begun long before the fire itself.
The wooden walkway -- once showcased as a flagship element of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) urban renewal vision -- had for months stood abandoned, with its neglect visible to anyone passing by.
The blaze at the boardwalk, built along the mangroves of Ourem Creek at a cost of Rs 7.80 crore, has now raised sharp questions over accountability, with officials yet to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.
Promoted as a rare ecological attraction, the boardwalk was designed to allow visitors to walk through the mangroves without disturbing the swampy terrain below. IPSCDL had described it as one of only two such boardwalks in the country and projected it as a key feature of the Smart City initiative in Panaji. But nearly eight years after its launch, the site had fallen into disuse.
The entry point had remained closed for almost two years after the structure was allegedly -- at least unofficially -- declared unsafe, reportedly owing to poor maintenance. The once-inviting wooden planks lay partially broken, barricades collapsed, and the walkway itself was blanketed in filth and strewn with discarded liquor bottles. The entrance, shut around two years ago, was frequently breached, with trespassers slipping through holes in rusted tin sheets.
Daily commuters in the area, including some staff members from the Goa State Central Library, alleged that the walkway had become a haven for illicit activities. Nishad Khanekar, a regular visitor to the Central Library, echoed those concerns.
“Who would be responsible if any person is injured on the boardwalk? It is also unsafe to walk through this stretch after working hours. The authorities should ensure security in the area to prevent people from venturing onto the dilapidated boardwalk,” he said.
Reliable sources told The Goan that security guards who had once been deployed at the site were withdrawn abruptly amid allegations that the entry of unwanted elements could not be effectively curbed.
The Goan reached out for an official response to which a senior IPSCDL officer stated that the project, after completion, was handed over to the Corporation of the City of Panaji in 2022. "We completed the project and handed it over to CCP in 2022. The responsibility lies with the Corporation, not the agency," he stated.
While the cause of the fire is under investigation, the apparent lack of monitoring and fire safety measures at a structure built largely of wood is likely to come under scrutiny. The fire has also raised concerns over its impact on the mangrove ecosystem in Ourem Creek, including the possibility of long-term environmental damage.
“This was a disaster waiting to happen. It was an excellent initiative by the government to provide an educational view of the mangroves through this boardwalk without harming the ecology. But while crores were spent on the project, the authorities did not spend anything on its maintenance,” environmentalist Claude Alvares said.
He also raised questions over the absence of fire extinguishers at the site, noting that the structure was made of wood and therefore highly vulnerable to fire, whether caused by people smoking or by other means.
