Team Goemkarponn
PONDA: Locals have enthusiastically embraced the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) announcement that it will be restoring the old water tank at Safa Masjid. The tank’s structural stability has been questioned since it has been harmed by crab infestations and vibrations from neighboring highway activity.
Safa Masjid was constructed by Ibrahim Ali Adil Shah in 1560 and is protected by the ASI. Over the past two years, crabs have been digging into the nearby water tank, which is known for its exquisite arches, causing cavities to form.
The Safa Masjid Committee President, Mulla Murtaza, thanked the ASI for its decision and said, “The ASI will soon repair the crab-ravaged structure of the tank.” Our legacy depends on this centuries-old water tank. He mentioned that in order to fix the damage, the restoration process will entail dewatering the tank using a lime-setting method.
In addition to being a source of water, the tank offers a home for a variety of aquatic creatures, such as fish and crabs.
Mulla Ibrahim, who lives in Shahpur, Ponda, emphasized the urgent need for repairs, saying, “The tank has sustained severe damage due to an infestation of invasive crabs. This could undermine the entire framework if ignored. In order to reduce vibrations, he encouraged the Public Works Department (PWD) and the ASI to guarantee more efficient traffic flow on the roadway.
These worries were shared by former Bandora Sarpanch Rajesh Naik, who cautioned that the tank and the mosque may face serious structural dangers as a result of the continued crab infestation.
Authorities are now working on the SFX relics at Old Goa, and restoration work at the ASI is anticipated to start after that.
