Repair works of roof on couple of buildings underway, but temporary measures are being taken to plug seepage
MARGAO
Have you come across any government or semi-government buildings hit by water seepage during the first rains? Tarpaulin or plastic sheets may be an answer to plug the water seepage. For, there may be little time left to take up the repairs with monsoons setting in the State. Take note, it may so happen that the tarpaulin sheets may be a permanent feature at some of these buildings.
Indeed, do not be surprised if one comes across tarpaulin or plastic sheets protecting the government buildings from rain. In fact, if expectations were high that the buildings would undergo repairs before the monsoon, the ground reality has not changed for the better with the buildings protected by a cover of tarpaulin or plastic sheets.
The buildings include both heritage buildings as well as the buildings which were built in the last two decades. In fact, buildings which have already got a protective cover include heritage Margao Municipal building, old Hospicio building, Margao Urban Health Centre building, which is presently under repairs, and the building in the Margao KTC depot. The recent inclusion in the list of buildings which has witnessed water seepage is the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, where the management has tried to temporarily resolve to fix the issue with tarpaulin sheets.
MMC takes precautions, covers corridors to protect files, docs
The Margao Municipal Council seemed to have prepared well in advance to ensure that water does not enter the building corridors, which is housing official files and documents, during the rains. Like the monsoons last year, the Margao civic body has covered the windows on the rear side as well as the western portion of the building with plastic sheets.
Take note, the Margao Municipality has carried out repairs of the building roof and by waterproofing the western portion to plug rain water seepage.
However, the MMC had no answer to the water seepage through the windows, with the damaged windows craving for attention. As a temporary measure, the plastic sheets have been put up on all the windows as a temporary measure.
The over century-old heritage Margao Municipal building has been craving for attention over half a decade now for lack of maintenance. The fate of Margao Municipal proposal to the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) remains unknown. Tarpaulin and plastic sheets have come in handy for the MMC babus to protect the heritage building from water seepage.
Sheet still hanging on building as repair work underway at UHC
Blue coloured tarpaulin sheets had come in handy for the government to protect and prevent further damage to the Urban health centre since the façade of the building came crashing down on July 8 last year.
The tarpaulin sheet is still hanging on the building, even as work is underway to repair and restore the building. What’s interesting to note is that it would be one year next month since the façade had crumbled, but work is still underway to repair the structure.
PWD officials have said the blue coloured tarpaulin sheets is put up again on the building to facilitate plastering and interior work with the State hit by the first rains.
Old Hospicio building too gets protection
Old Hospicio building: A portion of the Old Hospicio building has been found covered with yellow coloured tarpaulin. Sources pointed out that the building is covered with tarpaulin for the simple reason to prevent rainwater seepage.
Incidentally, a sajja of a building housing the Margao Urban Health Centre in the Old Hospicio complex had crumbled down during last monsoons, prompting the Director of Health Services to shift the health centre’s activities to the Hospicio heritage building.
Margao KTC building roof too covered
Commuters travelling from the Margao KTC bus stand to various destinations must have come across a building with its roof covered with blue coloured tarpaulin sheet. The building, located near the canteen, has got a protective cover in the form of tarpaulin sheets. In fact, the entire roof has been protected with a tarpaulin cover. It could not be ascertained whether the building will undergo repairs post-monsoons or is the KTC management waiting for the promised ultra modern bus stand for Margao to see the light of day.
Portion of Ravindra Bhavan stage covered to tide over situation
