MAPUSA
With the Assembly elections only a few months away, Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo has laid the foundation stone for the reconstruction of the constituency’s dilapidated fish market at an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 crore, promising improved facilities for vendors and customers.
The project, being executed by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), comes with a political promise of its own: a ground-plus-one (G+1) market structure could be considered in a second phase, subject to the necessary permissions, particularly under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) framework.
However, the proposed reconstruction also brings the market’s earlier history into focus. The fish market had undergone repairs and renovation during the 2017-22 tenure of former Siolim MLA and then minister Vinoda Paliencar, raising questions about the upkeep of the facility over the years and the need for its present-scale reconstruction.
The current project involves dismantling the existing structure and rebuilding it with a new roof, improved drainage, an independent water storage tank, upgraded electrical infrastructure, renovated toilets and interlocking paver tiles around the premises. Designated parking spaces are also planned, while vegetable vendors who previously operated along the roadside will be provided with dedicated stalls.
A temporary fish shed has been set up nearby to enable vendors to continue their business during construction. The work is expected to take between one and three months.
The foundation stone was laid last week in the presence of Delilah, her husband and GSIDC chairman Michael Lobo, sarpanch Babru Govekar, panchayat members and officials.
Projecting the reconstruction as a fulfilment of her electoral commitments, Delilah said around 99 per cent of the promises made in the manifesto had been delivered.
“We have brought real development to Siolim. I request all fish lovers to bear a minor inconvenience of one to two months for the greater good of having a market that will serve the community for the next 15 years,” she said.
The proposed G+1 structure, however, remains contingent on the finalisation of the required permissions under the CRZ 2019 notification.
With the project being launched close to the next Assembly election, the reconstruction is also likely to figure in the political narrative around development in Siolim.
The immediate test, however, will be whether the promised improvements are delivered within the stipulated timeframe and whether the proposed second phase eventually moves beyond an assurance.
