Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Twenty of the 35 works under the ‘Imagine Panaji’ Smart City project have been completed, a senior official said on Thursday.
The project was conceived in 2015 and work orders were issued in 2022, Imagine Panaji Smart city Development Limited (IPSCDL) Chief Executive Officer Sanjith Rodrigues said at a press conference amid allegations of its slow pace.
”Some 75 per cent of the works were completed in the last few months. So far, 20 of the 35 works have been completed,” he said.
While the project entails digging of several roads to lay pipelines, which was inconveniencing people due to dust pollution, Rodrigues blamed it on the fast pace at which the works were being carried out.
”Due to the tremendous pace of work, we are facing issues of dust and dug up roads. Issues like heavy rains and organisation of festivals like Purple Fest, Shigmo, Carnival also create hurdles. We want festivals to happen and work to be completed quickly at the same time,” he said.
He said amenities like the pumping station in Mala had saved people from flooding during monsoon in 2023, adding all Smart City works are in the ”last mile” and would be completed soon.
