PANAJI
Even as the chorus of discontent over the unplanned and haphazard execution of 'Smart City' works grows louder by the day, Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate again waded into the controversy arguing that the inconvenience will have to be borne by citizens for some time to experience better facilities in the future.
"People will have to bear with the inconvenience for some time as they will get good facilities," Monserrate said, adding that engineers and technically qualified professionals are at the sites and will be held responsible for it.
"The same question is being asked to me. It is as if I am digging the road. Multiple agencies are working. The engineers are present at the site,” he said.
Monserrate, who represents the Panaji constituency, however added that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will convene a meeting to review the works and contractors will be held accountable if there is any transgression.
"Sawant will convey a review meeting. Works are currently progressing as planned," Monserrate said, adding that the Chief Secretary is the chairman of the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) and the Collector is the managing director who are responsible.
Monserrate said, people should have patience if they want a progressed Panaji and added that landscaping, intersection redesign and plazzas are part of the development planned.
Also, four major Panaji roads -- Old Patto bridge to four pillars junction parallel to Rua de Ourem creek and another stretch in St Inez between Taj Vivanta junction and Goa International hotel t-junction at Tonca -- have been tendered for development as 'smart roads' as part of these works, he added.
Over the last more than four months, many stretches of the city's roads have been dug up to carry out sewerage enhancement works as part of the 'Smart City' package.
