MARGAO
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's nod for the transfer of tourism department land admeasuring 1000-odd square meters for the construction of a full-fledged Colva police station building at Colva is good news for the police department and for the people inhabiting Salcete's coastal belt, but the question that remains unanswered is whether the project will become a reality in 2018 or next year.
The question has come up given the fact it took five years for the authorities to realise that Colva, one o
f the most busy tourist destinations, requires a new police station building after a report submitted by magisterial inquiry officer Sandhya Kamat noted that the present structure was not at all safe to carry out administrative functions.
Kamat's report had stated that the building was very old with big doors and had no window grills. "There is no compound wall around the building. The police station, which is functioning from a rented premises, is on the road, thus very accessible for anyone to enter inside," the report, which was submitted to the Home Department following a firing incident at the police station, observed.
It's against this backdrop that Local Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao says he would get the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar lay the foundation stone for the police station building project at the earliest so that work starts soon. "Since the Cabinet has given its nod for the transfer of Tourism Department
land for the Colva police station, we have crossed one hurdle. I will follow up the matter with the CM to ensure
early laying of the foundation stone and commencement of work on the project,"
Churchill said.
Colva police station in-charge PI Filomena Costa said the police station had moved the file seeking the transfer of the Tourism Department land for the construction of the police station building.
"The decision to transfer the land has paved the way for the construction of the new building," PI Costa stated.
Housed in a rented old house, the Colva police station has no lock-up of its own and the men-in-uniform are left with no option than to house the undertrials at Margao PS. That's not all. The police have no barracks. There are hardly 10 beds which are inadequate to meet the requirements of the constabulary.
In fact, when The Goan team visited the police station premises, it was shocked to come across a lady constable functioning from a room earmarked for a kitchen. The passages and corridors of the police station premises are all occupied by staff and officials for want of space.
Commenting on the Cabinet decision to transfer Tourism Department land for the Colva police station, a senior police officer remarked, "The report submitted in 2013 was clear that Colva police station being a coastal jurisdiction, work on a new building could be taken up on priority basis under the coastal security scheme to develop it as a full-fledged PS with lock-up and safeguard rooms facilities. It is five
years now, but its better late than never."
Kamat's report had stated that the building was very old with big doors and had no window grills. "There is no compound wall around the building. The police station, which is functioning from a rented premises, is on the road, thus very accessible for anyone to enter inside," the report, which was submitted to the Home Department following a firing incident at the police station, observed.
It's against this backdrop that Local Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao says he would get the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar lay the foundation stone for the police station building project at the earliest so that work starts soon. "Since the Cabinet has given its nod for the transfer of Tourism Department
land for the Colva police station, we have crossed one hurdle. I will follow up the matter with the CM to ensure
early laying of the foundation stone and commencement of work on the project,"
Churchill said.
Colva police station in-charge PI Filomena Costa said the police station had moved the file seeking the transfer of the Tourism Department land for the construction of the police station building.
"The decision to transfer the land has paved the way for the construction of the new building," PI Costa stated.
Housed in a rented old house, the Colva police station has no lock-up of its own and the men-in-uniform are left with no option than to house the undertrials at Margao PS. That's not all. The police have no barracks. There are hardly 10 beds which are inadequate to meet the requirements of the constabulary.
In fact, when The Goan team visited the police station premises, it was shocked to come across a lady constable functioning from a room earmarked for a kitchen. The passages and corridors of the police station premises are all occupied by staff and officials for want of space.
Commenting on the Cabinet decision to transfer Tourism Department land for the Colva police station, a senior police officer remarked, "The report submitted in 2013 was clear that Colva police station being a coastal jurisdiction, work on a new building could be taken up on priority basis under the coastal security scheme to develop it as a full-fledged PS with lock-up and safeguard rooms facilities. It is five
years now, but its better late than never."
