CM Inspects Smart City Projects, criticises consultants for delays

04 Jun 2024 CW Team

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated that the quality of work on the 'smart city' projects is "ninety per cent" and acknowledged that some problems may arise. He added that the same contractors will be required to resolve any issues whenever they occur.

Sawant urged residents in the capital to connect their homes to the new sewerage system, warning that failure to do so would result in the disconnection of power and water connections. He mentioned that nearly 50 sewerage outlets currently flow into the St Inez creek, and once the new sewerage system becomes operational, this would cease, provided citizens connect to the new system.

Sawant made these remarks to the media while inspecting various sites where smart city work had been carried out and remained incomplete a day after the High Court's designated May 31 deadline. He was accompanied by Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, who represents Panaji, his son and mayor Rohit Monserrate, and officials including IPSCDL managing director and CEO, Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS.

Sawant also attributed the delay and failure to meet the May 31 deadline to the planning consultants engaged by Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL). He mentioned that the majority of the sewerage work in Panaji has been completed and that the newly concretized roads are expected to remain problem-free for the next 25 years.

Regarding Panaji's flooding issues, Sawant explained that the city faces a unique problem when high tides coincide with heavy rainfall. The city has three main storm water drains, but when the water level in the Mandovi river is high, the storm water cannot flow out, resulting in floods. He mentioned that a long-term solution involving the installation of a "sluice gate" and pumping out excess water is being considered.

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