The interiors of the new collectorate building far from complete
The new collectorate building is not ready to be handedover, but the state government has plans for a soft opening on January 25,followed by hoisting of the national tricolour on Republic Day on January 26.
Many offices in the new Collectorate have no internetconnections, a vital aspect of administration. Some departments have called forchanges that requires demolition of some inside walls and the space around thebuilding is full of construction material, leaving hardly any space forparking.
Recently, the Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar and hisministers and MLAs have been constantly visiting the New South Goa Collectoratebuilding in Margao assuring that the building will be completed quickly.
After the soft opening on January 25 the office ofCollector, Salcete Mamlatdar, Sub-Registrar and BDO will be shifted to the newbuilding between January 26-27, government officials said.
“The PWD has fixed January 20 for a survey of the openground to erect a pandal for the January 25 opening and subsequent Republic DayParade. But the Principal Secretary and South Goa Collector are still askingfor changes, including breaking of walls, which MVR Constructions and the GSIDCare not in a position to complete. These changes will mean further delay,” stateda contractor pointing out that the new Collectorate building will be ready forhand-over only by May end.
The Salcete sub registrar confirmed receiving verbalinstructions to shift into the new building by January 26-27.
“We have approved a maximum office floor plan, as requestedby the GSIDC, but I believe chairs and certain furnishings are yet to arrive.Also we are yet to get an approval from our head office for shifting,” saidSalcete sub-registrar Suraj Verenkar whose office includes death and birth recordsof over 150 years that need to be shifted from the SGPDA complex.
Shifting involves moving precious records and archives. Itcannot be done without proper procedure, he added. Maximum work in the newbuilding has been completed and with the painting of the façade now complete,the new collectorate is ready to be handed over.
“The Collector’s office and other government departmentsshould give a final go to the project and get done with changes required onlythen government offices can be shifted. But I set May 30 as a final hand-overdate,” said MVR CEO, Pandurang Kantak, who is in-charge of the Collectoratebuilding construction.
South Goa Collector, N D Agarwal asserts that he is ready tofunction from the new building on the fourth floor of the massive Rs 140-crorecollectorate building.
Almost 200 people apply for residential certificates per dayfor various schemes and with the debris still around in the new complex and noparking place, we are not in favour of shifting, said some officers from themamlatdar office.
The collectorate in numbers
6 staircases
3 lifts from basement to fourth floor
5814.6 sq.mts parking space for parking at the basement
4 store rooms at the basement totaling 50 sq mts of space
Ground floor
Bank: With strong room
National informatics centre
Stamp Vending Treasury (with strong room)
Post office
Senior citizens counter
Litigants area + notary desk
Electricity department
Disaster management
Press room
Talathi
Dining hall
First floor
SDM Chamber + Salcete Office+ Office of the SDM
Adittional South District Magistrate
Office of the Joint Mamlatdar 1,2,3,4
Land acquisition office
Rent control chamber
Mamlatdar chamber
Computer room of SDM and Mamlatdar
Information desk
2 ATMs
Second floor
8 Court rooms
Conference halls
Police control room
Strong room
Staff lunch room
Third floor
10 cabins for accounts section
Video satellite conference rooms
National Informatics Commission office
Server room
Offices of revenue, mamlatdar, deputy collector and accounts
Branch offices of accounts, revenue, mamlatdar and land acquisition
Court and offices of ADM – II
Fourth floor
2 minister’s chambers with separate VIP waiting area, PA andstaff room, office and rest room admeasuring 250 sq.mts
3 conference rooms, seminar hall and video conference room
District magistrate, DMs court, waiting room and rest rooms measuring250 sq.mts each
Networking lounge
Fifth floor
5 Machine rooms for a/c equipment
9 storage rooms
4 electrical storage rooms
4 staircase lobby
6 lift points for entry-exit-staff lifts
