PANAJI
With maintenance of Panaji’s Smart City infrastructure emerging as a concern, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) has acknowledged that some completed projects are yet to be formally handed over to government departments and civic bodies for operation and upkeep.
In a media statement, IPSCDL said a formal communication mechanism had been established with government agencies to facilitate the handover.
While several infrastructure assets have been transferred for day-to-day operation and maintenance, others are at various stages of the administrative process leading to their formal transition, it said.
The agency stressed that sustained upkeep required clearly defined responsibilities, coordination among agencies, regular joint inspections and timely maintenance by designated operating authorities.
IPSCDL said the long-term sustainability of Smart City infrastructure depended on a two-stage process: execution of projects by the corporation as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), followed by formal handover to the respective government departments and civic bodies responsible for their operation and maintenance.
It added that discussions on civic infrastructure projects should be guided by verified information, documented progress and the official status of matters under examination.
Listing its projects in Panaji, IPSCDL said it had deployed 48 zero-emission electric buses through the Kadamba Transport Corporation, besides an urban safety network supported by 362 smart CCTV cameras and an Integrated Command and Control Centre.
On specific facilities, it said the Pedestrian Spine and Climbing Wall was open to the public on weekends, subject to operational and safety arrangements. Night access remains restricted on safety grounds. The Ribandar Community Market project has also been completed.
