Panaji Smart City shuts 5 major roads together

30 Oct 2024 CW Team

The Smart City Mission’s move to simultaneously shut five major Panaji roads for a period that includes the peak tourist season, has drawn a sharp reaction from the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP). The corporation said that there will be significant chaos and high levels of dust pollution throughout Panaji if work is concurrently carried out on all five roads. “We are not opposed to the project, but rather the manner in which it is being approached. The IPSCDL should execute the project in a way that minimises inconvenience to the public,” a senior CCP official said. The IPSCDL recently sought permission from North Goa collector Sneha Gitte to temporarily close and excavate M G Road, Swami Vivekananda Road, Cunha Rivera Road, 18th June Road, and T B Cunha Road. Along with the application, the IPSCDL has also provided the map of the areas and the proposed road closure and traffic route plan. However, sources said that Gitte is yet to consider the IPSCDL’s request. “The permission for road closure and excavation has been sought for a period of almost four months. We don’t think that contractors would be able to complete the task in time. The upcoming events will bring an influx of tourists, leading to increased vehicular traffic in the area. The combination of construction work and higher traffic volume will likely result in significant disruptions and congestion,” he added. The official said that the CCP will suggest to the Smart City Board to direct IPSCDL to consider alternative methods or a phased approach to mitigate the potential disruption caused by the simultaneous excavation of all five roads.The proposed development work includes the construction of new footpaths and the laying of utility lines to enhance the overall functionality of the area.

Infrastructure Urban

03 Apr 2026

Centre Disburses Over Rs 24,610 mn in XV Finance Commission Grants

The Union Government has released XV Finance Commission tied grants during the financial year 2025–26 to rural local bodies in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Sikkim and has released withheld portions of tied and untied grants to Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Tripura. The total disbursal exceeded Rs 24,610 mn, with figures expressed in million (mn) thereafter. The releases cover allocations pertaining to different financial years and aim to strengthen rural local governance. State-wise disbursements included Rs 3,324.6 mn for Punjab, Rs 9,432.7 mn for Madhya Pradesh, Rs 3,47..

Centre Releases Over Rs 15 bn as XV FC Grants to Rural Bodies

The Union Government has released over Rs 15 bn in grants recommended by the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in six states. The funds comprise tied and untied grants disbursed in FY 2025–26. Telangana received Rs 2.48 bn as the first instalment of untied grants for FY 2025–26, benefitting 12600 Gram Panchayats (GPs). Uttarakhand received Rs 913.1 mn as the second instalment and an additional Rs 18.4 mn of a withheld first instalment was released to a further 216 GPs. Mizoram is included among beneficiary st..

Government Assures Fuel Supplies And Seafarer Safety Amid West Asia Developments

The Government of India has stepped up coordinated measures to maintain stability in critical sectors as developments in West Asia continue to unfold. It has prioritised uninterrupted energy supplies, safeguarded maritime operations and extended consular assistance to nationals. Central authorities are working with State and Union territory administrations to ensure timely information dissemination and operational continuity. Refineries are reported to be operating at high capacity with adequate inventories of petrol and diesel, and domestic LPG production has been increased to support consump..