*Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa was informed that the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (IPSCDL) has failed to meet the deadline for completing roadworks, as it had assured the court.
The issue arose during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Christus Cecilio Lopes, a Caranzalem resident, who submitted an affidavit claiming that IPSCDL had not adhered to its commitment to complete the roadworks by March 31, 2025.
According to Lopes’ affidavit, IPSCDL had provided a written undertaking to the court on February 26, 2025, promising that the roadworks would be completed by the specified deadline. However, the affidavit pointed out that the works were still incomplete. “IPSCDL has failed to honor its commitment to this Court, and the roadworks have not been completed by March 31, 2025,” the affidavit stated.
Photographs submitted alongside the affidavit showed ongoing construction at various locations, including St Inez Creek to Caculo Mall (Taad Maad), Mala, MG Road, the rear of Hindu Pharmacy, and parts of Panaji market. As of April 8, 2025, the petitioner claimed, the work was still unfinished.
The affidavit also referenced widespread media coverage of the delay, showing that much of the work remained incomplete despite the court-set deadline. Concerns about the quality of the work were raised by the Mayor as part of the Smart City initiative.
Earlier this month, IPSCDL CEO Sanjit Rodrigues addressed the delay, stating that 90 percent of the work had been completed. However, the High Court has adjourned the matter for further hearing in two weeks.
