Residents of Ribandar have voiced their opposition to the North Goa Collector's decision to approve smart city works and allow excavation of work, claiming that the nature of the work is unclear and that the administration has not given any consideration to the plight of school-age children who will be adversely affected.

A sizable group of inhabitants of Ribandar voiced their opposition to the start of construction since it would make their daily drive extremely difficult, especially for schoolchildren whose end-of-first-term exams are drawing near.

Residents questioned the lack of transparency regarding the true nature of the smart city projects.