PANAJI
With Smart City works still unfinished, pre-monsoon preparations “ especially the desilting of drains “ have been put on hold in some areas. This raises the risk of flooding in parts of Panaji during the monsoon.
One of the worst-affected areas is Ribandar, a low-lying locality that often floods during heavy rain. The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) says it cannot begin cleaning works there until the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) finishes its ongoing projects at those same locations.
“Desilting can’t start until Smart City finishes its work. Otherwise, it would waste the time and money of both agencies. Our teams will inspect the IPSCDL sites by May 31 to see where we can begin work,” a CCP official told The Goan.
The CCP has completed the first phase of its monsoon readiness plan, which involved identifying and trimming dangerous tree branches across the city. However, the second phase “ which includes drain cleaning and clearing debris “ is stuck. The recent heavy rain has made things worse, slowing down even minor work, the official added.
While the CCP has managed to desilt drains in some parts of the city, it says it cannot do much in areas where IPSCDL works are still in progress.
“Ribandar is still a major concern. If the rains get heavier before we act, the situation could become chaotic,” the official said.
IPSCDL has already come under criticism from the High Court of Bombay at Goa for delays. Petitioners in an ongoing case accused the agency of breaking its promise to finish all road-related work by 31 March 2025.
Meanwhile, the CCP says it has completed drainage upgrades from the police headquarters at Azad Maidan to the Mandovi River. The Water Resources Department has also installed sluice gates to stop river water from entering the city during high tide.
