Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Amid growing public scrutiny over expenditure, implementation and maintenance of Smart City projects in Panaji, the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) has defended its work, asserting that it remains committed to transparency, accountability and sustainable urban development.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 30, IPSCDL said it had taken note of recent media reports, public inquiries and discussions concerning the execution, expenditure and long-term maintenance of infrastructure projects undertaken under the Smart City initiative.
The agency maintained that questions relating to public expenditure and project implementation were legitimate but stressed that allegations and observations should be distinguished from established facts and findings of competent authorities.
Highlighting its achievements, IPSCDL said it had implemented several infrastructure initiatives aimed at modernising Panaji and improving urban mobility.
These include the deployment of 48 zero-emission electric buses operated through the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) and the installation of an integrated urban surveillance network comprising 362 smart CCTV cameras linked to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
The agency also cited the undergrounding of overhead electrical lines to reduce the risk of storm-related damage, development of waterfront promenades along the Mandovi river with flood-protection measures, and construction of smart road corridors incorporating pedestrian walkways, underground utility ducting and traffic management features.
On the issue of maintenance and handover of completed infrastructure, IPSCDL said the process involved two distinct stages, with the agency executing projects as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), followed by their formal transfer to the respective government departments and civic bodies responsible for operation and maintenance.
It said formal communication mechanisms had been established with government agencies to facilitate the handover.
While several infrastructure assets had already been transferred for day-to-day operation and maintenance, others were at various stages of the administrative process, the statement said.
IPSCDL stressed that the long-term functioning of these assets would require clearly defined responsibilities, coordination between departments, regular joint inspections and timely maintenance by the designated authorities.
Clarifying the operational status of specific facilities, the agency said the Pedestrian Spine and Climbing Wall were accessible to the public, subject to operational and safety arrangements.
It added that night access to the facility was restricted solely on safety grounds, while the climbing wall remained operational and open to the public on weekends. The facility has recorded more than 80 users, it said.
IPSCDL further stated that the Ribandar Community Market project had been successfully completed.
The agency reiterated its commitment to completing the remaining urban development works in coordination with government departments and civic authorities, stating that its objective was to ensure public investments translated into sustainable and long-term benefits for Panaji.
IPSCDL is a Special Purpose Vehicle established as a Government of Goa undertaking to plan, execute and modernise urban infrastructure in the state capital.
