From sewerage woes to stalled flyovers and an elusive bus stand, the commercial capital waits for civic upgrades
File photo of school students crossing the Comba railway crossing.
MARGAO
With the prized Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio now in the hands of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat—perhaps for the first time in recent political history—Madgavkars may ask a crucial question: Will the city finally get the long-awaited infrastructure boost?
Recently inducted into the Pramod Sawant Cabinet, Kamat is no stranger to governance. Having previously served as Chief Minister for five years, he brings both experience and political weight to the table. Despite being out of ministerial office for 14 years, Kamat emphasised that he never ceased advocating for developmental projects in his constituency. He, however, has admitted that a Ministerial position will help him work with authority to deliver results more effectively.
For residents of Margao, this development kindles hope. The city, known as Goa’s commercial capital, has battled chronic infrastructure challenges for decades. With their local MLA now at the helm of the all-important PWD, citizens hope that long-standing civic issues may finally get the attention they deserve.
Topping the list is the city’s ailing sewerage system that has been moving on a slow pace over the years. No one knows better than the Margao MLA how sewage back flow had hit several residents inhabiting the city’s low-lying areas.
There’s also mounting demand for infrastructure upgrades, such as a flyover at the Comba railway crossing and the speedy execution of the Victor Hospital–La Flor flyover, funded by the Union Ministry of Roads and Surface Transport Ministry.
Equally pressing is the need for a modern bus stand for Margao, which has been hanging fire for nearly a decade and half now. The rehabilitation of Comba residents displaced by the ring road project, along with the long-neglected, dilapidated PWD quarters at Pajifond, are other issues that all come under the PWD domain.
These issues concerns have lingered without resolution for far too long. Now, with Kamat holding the reins of the PWD, there’s a ray of hope that these issues may have some solutions in the coming days.
Need for a flyover at Comba railway crossing
The railway crossing at Comba—home to a bustling educational hub—is a traffic nightmare. When trains pass on the Konkan Railway line, vehicular movement on the city’s western side comes to a grinding halt. The Comba subway, commissioned during Kamat’s term as Chief Minister over a decade ago, has outlived its utility and can no longer handle the current traffic load.
In response, the State government had proposed two major infrastructure upgrades: A flyover at the Comba railway crossing and the Victor Hospital–La Flor flyover, a key link in the incomplete Margao Ring Road.
Incidentally, while the latter project has received Centre’s approval, with funds to the tune of Rs 90 crore sanctioned for the project, the Comba flyover remains stuck. With Kamat’s rapport with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, hopes have been raised that the Minister will resolve the fund tangle to implement the long-delayed project.
Ailing sewerage system and delayed STP
Margao’s sewage infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with its growth. While progress was made during Kamat’s earlier stints in power, there are still some areas of the city that remain unconnected to the underground sewage system. This was brought into sharp focus during a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) hearing on Salpem Lake contamination, which revealed that raw sewage from residential and commercial zones continues to be discharged into open drains and storm water nullahs.
Low-lying areas such as Malbhat, Gandhi Market, and Calconda are particularly affected. To address this, the PWD has proposed the introduction of vacuum technology, aimed at improving sewage disposal in flood-prone pockets. With Kamat now at the helm, insiders believe the implementation of this modern solution could get the necessary push.
Need for additional sewage treatment plant
The existing Sirvodem complex, which houses 20MLD and 6.75MLD plants, is nearing saturation—especially during monsoons, due to rainwater inflow. Kamat had proposed a third STP to address the growing demand, but its implementation is pending. Adding to the woes are choked underground lines that cause sewage to mix with rainwater and overflow through manholes, resembling fountains during heavy rains. The pressure is now on Kamat to unclog these long-standing issues.
Rehabilitation of displaced Comba residents
The Margao ring project got the long-delayed connectivity after a couple of houses that came on the alignment at Comba was cleared for vehicular traffic. Sadly, the PWD is yet to take up the rehabilitation of the displaced residents, who were then shifted to the Housing Board quarters at neighbouring Rumdamol village.
Incidentally, despite the government acquiring land admeasuring 7,000 square metres at Comba, the proposed rehabilitation of the displaced residents is yet to take place till date.
Administrator of Comunidade building in ruins
During his stint as PWD Minister, former Minister Nilesh Cabral had set in motion the process to refurbish and renovate the imposing South Goa Administrator of Comunidades building. The PWD, Buildings had even floated a tender amounting to Rs 3 crore to take up the ambitious project on a building – a major landmark in the commercial capital located near the Margao Municipal heritage building.
Sadly, the project has failed to take off after not many bidders evinced interest in the building renovation project. Since then, nothing has been heard about the Comunidade building project and the imposing building is virtually lying in ruins.
In the past, the Margao MLA had mulled renovation of the Comunidade building to restore the structure to its pristine glory. With Kamat assuming the reins of PWD portfolio, hopes are raised again whether the Comunidade building will be on the agenda of the Margao MLA.
All eyes on Kamat to drive stalled bus stand forward
MARGAO: At the fag-end of his five-year stint as Chief Minister, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat had laid the foundation stone for the Ultra-Modern bus terminus at the existing KTC bus stand on Dussehra day in 2011.
The ambitious project, however, remains a dream, with no headway made in implementing the bus stand project, following a change in political guard in 2012 with the BJP returning back to power riding on a strong anti-Congress wave.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had tried to resurrect the bus stand project by rechristening it as Fatorda-Margao bus terminus during his stint as a Minister in the Manohar Parrikar regime between 2017-19, but in vain.
In the recent past, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho had proposed to develop the Margao bus stand along with a couple of bus stands in major towns with Centre’s funding under the Union Ministry of Roads and Surface Transport.
As the State’s PWD Minister and given his close proximity to Union Minister for Roads and Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, all eyes will be focused on Digambar Kamat, whether he can use his influence and pull the right strings in Delhi to pave way for the development of the Margao bus stand.
