Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: The North Goa Planning and Development Authority(NGPDA) has issued show-cause notice cum stop work order for the community market project being constructed at Ribandar under Smart City Mission.
The order issued to Managing Director & CEO, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd by NGPDA states that during joint site inspection carried out on Nov 15,2023, it was noted that the construction work was being carried out by violating and deviating from the plan approved by NGPDA.
“Hence, you are hereby directed to stop the work immediately and show cause within 7 days from the receipt of this notice, as to why action under section 52 of Town and Country Planning Act, 1974 shall not be initiated namely for demolition of above referred illegal development as provided under the said section of the act,” states the notice.
Smart City officials have been given 7 days to reply to the notice issued on Nov 17.
“It’s fast turning into Imagine Panaji SmartCity Illegal Dev Ltd. NGPDA issues StopWork notice for blantant violation.Who is to be held accountable for all the wastage of Publicfunds? V demand inquiry Dr Pramod Sawant must answer this as Chief of Smart City Mission,” said Congress Leader Girish Chodankar
The NGPDA had accorded permission for construction of Ribandar Community Market under the Smart City Mission to the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd.
The NGPDA has pointed out that during the joint site inspection, it was noted that the construction work of the building was being carried out by violating or deviating the plan approved by the NGPDA on December 12, 2022.
The joint inspection was carried out on November 15, 2023, by the officials of the NGPDA and Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) in pursuance of an order passed by the High Court of Bombay at Goa on a writ petition
As part of Smart City works, the laying of main sewerage line connecting to the STP on the 5-km stretch in Ribandar is currently underway.
The work on the first phase has already started, and nearly 25% has already been completed, officials said.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 69 crore. The entire work will be carried out in five phases and every phase is expected to take 30 days to complete.
The project will connect approximately 600 households to the sewerage network benefiting more than 2,000 people in Ribandar.
