PANAJI
The Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) has attributed the delay in completing its ongoing projects to the rise in water table in Panaji and the monsoon last year.
In an affidavit filed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa, the agency stated that the advent of monsoon in the first week of May 2024 hampered the progress of the works undertaken.
“The road surfaces which were dug up to carry out sewerage and road works in certain areas of Panaji had to be resurfaced due to the advent of the monsoons to mitigate potential disruption to vehicular traffic and the general public,” reads the affidavit by Chief General Manager, IPSCDL, Vivek Valke.
The affidavit further mentioned the challenges posed by the high water table in Panaji, which made roadwork and sewerage projects substantially difficult to execute. “Excavation was not feasible as water was encountered at a shallow depth of just one metre,” it stated.
Regarding the traffic congestion which would be accentuated by the monsoons, the IPSCDL stated that the excavated portion of the road to lay the sewerage lines was temporarily reinstated and the roads were made operational.
The roads were continuously attended to on a need-to-need basis to counter and mitigate the wear and tear occasioned due to the torrential rains and the vehicular movement.
“Due to these factors, it was not possible to carry out the works undertaken under the Smart City mission as on the stipulated date of May 31, 2024,” reads the affidavit, adding that the pending works resumed in the third week of November.
The IPSCDL also submitted to the court that the Government of India has extended the Smart City mission period up to March 2025 to complete the balance projects. The extension, it stated, is granted without additional costs upon considering the adversities faced in executing the Smart City works in Panaji.
The PWD, in its affidavit, assured the court that the tarring of the Ribandar-Patto to Chimbel Junction road will be completed and operational by February 20. The High Court has scheduled the matter for the next hearing on February 12.
