MARGAO
Even as the Margao Civil and Criminal court building has received a fresh lease of life after the repairs and renovation, it may take some time for the resumption of work on the new court building to house the civil and criminal courts in the district Court complex.
Reason; While the PWD, Building division had set in motion the process to tender the work on the new Court building, the ground reality hasn’t changed for the better, for want of government’s expenditure sanction for the project.
In fact, the PWD file seeking expenditure sanction is stuck up in the Finance department, awaiting the much needed nod to pave way for the contractor to commence work on the Rs 14 crore new Court building complex.
The Goan understands no sooner the Margao Civil and Criminal Court building water leakage issue hit the headlines during the last monsoons, the legal fraternity had not only demanded the immediate repairs of the Court building, but had called for resumption of work on the abandoned new Court building in the district court complex.
Law Minister Nilesh Cabral, who also holds the PWD portfolio, had not only assured the protesting lawyers, but had set in motion the process for the resumption of work on the new building, which was abandoned midway reportedly over the costing.
In line with the PWD Minister’s instructions, the PWD, building division had prepared fresh estimate and floated a tender amounting to Rs 14 crore to rope in a contactor to take up the work on the new court building. The PWD has completed the process of shortlisting a new contractor to execute the work on the new building, but work could not kick start for want of administrative sanction.
In simple terms, the proposal is stuck up in the Finance department, awaiting expenditure sanction.
Since the proposal for the construction of the new Court building has been initiated by the Law department, sources in the PWD pointed out that Law department officials should pursue the matter with the government if they want early commencement of the building construction.
Incidentally, Law Secretary Sandeep Jacques along with the South Goa district Collector, Jyoti Kumari had inspected the new court building premise when the proposal was mooted for the construction of the new building. “The ball now lies in the court of the government since the project is awaiting expenditure sanction. No sooner the administrative sanction comes, the contractor will be issued a work order to start the work”, remarked a PWD official.
Work on the construction of the new Margao Civil and Criminal Court building was initiated around two years ago, but work on the project came to a halt over the costing. A visit to the site revealed that the foundation for the building has been laid and the new contractor will have to take the work to the logical conclusion.
