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.
