PANAJI
As the controversy surrounding the Smart City project intensifies by the day, High Court Justices walked down the streets to personally inspect the progress of the works last week. Residents and commercial hub owners breathed a sigh of relief at this proactive move while they grapple with dust pollution and the prolonged disruptions to businesses and daily life.
In an exclusive interview with The Goan, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) CEO Sanjit Rodrigues admitted the inconvenience faced by the public while committing to completing the project on time. However, the May 31 deadline assurance set by IPSCDL is not set in stone as he admits the ambitious timeline poses a challenge although he affirmed the team's grit to meet the deadline.
THE GOAN: The IPSCDL has faced criticism for project delays and the agency has in turn often cited various reasons in defence. What is your response to these criticisms?
SANJIT RODRIGUES: IPSCDL is dedicated to meeting the project deadline to enhance Panaji's infrastructure sustainably. Despite facing challenges in sewage work due to high water table in the city, we employ advanced methodologies to overcome them. It is true that inconveniences are experienced by residents; our foremost objective remains the timely completion of the project.
TG: High Court Justices inspected Smart City works by walking down the streets. Does this indicate that ongoing projects are haphazardly being taken up and significantly disrupting daily life?
SR: The High Court Justices conducted an inspection in response to a PIL filed by residents concerning dust issues. IPSCDL team fully collaborated with officials during the inspection and is adhering to guidelines following the court's order. Our primary focus is on meeting project deadlines set by the court, enhancing community engagement, and ensuring resident welfare and safety. We have derived many positives from this exercise which will help the project.
TG: Despite assurances from the IPSCDL about improved facilities, ongoing construction works have led to inconveniences, with some completed roads being dug up again. Is it lack of coordination among contractors with the agency?
SR: We often face criticism for slow, un-coordinated work predating my tenure at IPSDCL. We have at the moment managed to put a methodology to the challenges, achieved smaller milestones in limited time and ensured seamless co-ordination with multiple agencies and service providers. We will continue doing the same, as the Smart City project completion is our priority. As we are opening up stretches of completed roads with quick turnaround time, people have understood the benefits and are looking forward to the completion.
TG: Previously, the agency blacklisted contractors for negligence. What is the current status of these contractors?
SR: As the head of IPSCDL, I am consistently on-site and ensure compliance from contractors. We initiate inquiries into contractors' conduct if brought to our notice. However, with increased resident/public interaction, such issues are dealt on site itself on a day-to-day basis. Additionally, we have filed FIRs against contractors who fail to adhere to guidelines and instructions in the past. This practice will be upheld in the future to ensure accountability and compliance.
TG: Will the IPSCDL meet its deadlines of May 31 for project completion, or are there anticipated delays with new completion dates?
SR: The deadline is extremely tough to say the least. We are committed to meeting the deadline for our project completion. While we refrain from commenting on the overall project progress, we emphasize our focus on each work tasks such as sewage, roadwork, and manhole installation. Many site issues pertaining to multiple services and resident requests do set us back considerably, however, we will strive to maintain our schedule.
TG: Apart from spraying water on roads, what additional measures are being taken to reduce dust pollution and alleviate traffic congestion?
SR: Consistent watering, removal of excess mud, sweeping and hosing of dust is being routinely done now. Completion of a certain stretch quickly is what brings the best relief, we want to close the works as soon as we can.
