The Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) CEO, Sanjit Rodrigues, revealed that a total of Rs 935.90 crore was sanctioned under the Smart Cities Mission for 35 projects in Panaji. Out of these, 20 projects have been completed, utilizing Rs 404.20 crore, while 15 projects are currently underway with an estimated cost of Rs 531.70 crore.
Responding to public dissatisfaction, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant intervened and set a deadline of May 31 for the completion of all Smart City Mission works in Panaji. Rodrigues has now committed to completing ongoing sewerage works on two major road stretches, Dr Atmaram Borkar Road and Dr Dada Vaidya Road, by January 30.
The ongoing sewerage works involve laying sewer lines, constructing manholes, and providing house connections. Rodrigues assured that the sewerage works along the specified roads would be completed by the end of January, aligning with the May 31 deadline set by the government for all ongoing projects in the city.
He mentioned that out of the total 19.89 km, 14.4 km of sewer lines have been laid in central Panaji, with only a 1.7 km stretch pending, which will be covered soon. The CEO also noted that sewerage work is pending along M G Road, and the stretch will be closed for vehicular traffic during the undertaking of the work.
Rodrigues acknowledged the challenges faced during manhole construction, such as finding water just below one meter and excavating more than 8 meters below ground level at some stretches. He emphasized that significant development was witnessed between October 2023 and December 2023, and the momentum would continue in the months to come.