MAPUSA
The long pending re-development plan of the famous Mapusa market has received a new lease of life with the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) recently deciding to take up the work to refurbish the municipal market.
The agency has been tasked with the objective of giving the market a traditional Goan look keeping tourism in mind.
A senior official in GSUDA informed that a consultant will be appointed to redraw the plan for the entire market.
“The board members have given sanction to refurbish the entire Mapusa market. The Urban Development Minister and GSUDA chairman Viswajit Rane has stressed the need to redevelop the market with Goan look,” the official said.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has made a provision of Rs 10 crore in the budget for redevelopment of the Mapusa market.
“If we require more funds then we may utilize it from GSUDA,” the official said.
Enthused with the development, Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza met some merchants in the municipal market on Saturday to get their feedback on the functioning of the market.
“GSUDA has taken up the proposal to re-develop the market. The Urban Development Minister has agreed to take up the project on priority. They will soon come up with a plan on how to go about with the job,” D’Souza said.
Incidentally, former chief minister Manohar Parrikar had come out with a plan to re-develop the Mapusa municipal market. He had also made a provision of Rs 20 crore as a special grant for development of Mapusa market in the 2017-18 Budget.
The then government had appointed Ashwinikumar Prabhu as the chief architect of the project who had prepared a detailed plan for the entire market.
As per his plans, the market re-development project was estimated to cost Rs 35.75 crore and would be completed in two phases.
The projected cost for the first phase was estimated at Rs 19.50 crore and Rs 16.25 crore in the second phase.
As per the plans drawn by the architect, the Portuguese-era Mapusa market would get an attractive look giving it the much needed liveliness and colour but still maintaining the traditional ambience.
In an effort to provide all climate convenience there was a plan to cover the whole market with a canopy, existing buildings would be upgraded and a host of utility services like electrical, plumbing, telephones etc would be placed underground.
There were plans to pave all the inside lanes in different sets of colours while a 10-metre ring road on the periphery was also planned for vehicular movement.
Plans were also drawn to demarcate vendor space and a dedicated pedestrian space.
The detailed plan was shown to then chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, then urban development minister and Mapusa MLA, Francis D’Souza and all the councilors of Mapusa Municipal Council and the members of the Mapusa Merchants Committee.
