‘Projects handled by Smart City don’t have to be glamorous, focus should be on core infra’ Over eight years ago, as CCP commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues spearheaded efforts to give Panaji a makeover through the Smart City project. With the project in shambles and Goa’s capital city crumbling, a year ago Rodrigues was brought back as Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd’s managing director and CEO to put things in order. From lack of coordination to unfinished tasks and timelines over the past four and half years, Rodrigues speaks to Team TOI about the criticism he faced, the obstacles in implementing the projects and the crucial issues at hand. Edited excerpts from Townhall with TOI
Q: How did Panaji become such a mess?
When Panaji was selected under the Smart City Mission and when implementation had to start, there was a slight lack of administrative clarity. I think that clarity had to be derived — it does not fall from the top. Team building took time and projects did not take off for quite some time. Implementation involved multiple dimensions — social, political, and administrative. Also, the implementation could have been handled better. We should have worked on the ways and means of communicating with people. Despite time limitations after taking charge, substantial progress was achieved over the past year. Micro reporting happened and we took a hit, but some things were well appreciated...you are reporting brick by brick or on every part of cement cast. I don’t think that was fair.
Q: On the brick-to-brick reporting, we encountered some stonewalling in communication. Why didn’t you take a proactive approach?
I inherited the legacy of the project and the work culture. I inherited the communication flaw too. So, it was not easy to get integration done...I could not in that span of time reach out to people and communication within us broke down. Multiple departments and agencies were involved in the projects. Future-proofing of projects is important to me even before I talk to my neighbours. I myself had to talk to my family. My family was not on talking terms, so it requires time to bring all those people on board, and it cannot happen over a cup of tea.
Q: Deadlines have come and gone. When will Smart City projects be completed?
I hate to Give Deadlines for the Smart City Mission
I hate to give deadlines for such projects. Many things are not in my hands, many things are to be delivered by my partners, allied agencies, and departments and I have no administrative control over them. I would rather talk about what work I am doing and where I have reached. The mission has extended the deadline to March 2025. If a deadline is given to you, and you comfortably work within that deadline, why am I being picked, selected, and harassed for a deadline? Are you asking me to bring down the deadline to your benefit? The mission directorate in Delhi has set the deadline, which I am following.
Q: What percentage of Smart City works have been completed?
We have completed around 90% of the work. We are at the winding up stage, which takes more time than actually laying a road. If you ask me about the promenade, we have not done landscaping. That landscaping part is 5%. I will do it closer to the end.
Q: When works are completed, can we say that Panaji areas, particularly 18th June Road and Patto, won’t flood?
Mitigating Floods On 18th June Road
In locations where work is complete, we have adequately addressed flooding concerns. 18th June Road remains unaddressed, requiring comprehensive planning and implementation. Two routes need drain maintenance: the stretch from Pharmacy College to Panaji Church, and Dr Pandurang Pissurlekar Road passing through the municipality and Azad Maidan. I am working with engineers on a comprehensive solution, though the implementation through the mission isn’t certain. Our original scope encompassed road development and universal pavements, not drainage. Water must flow from Patto to the creek. Similar flood-prevention measures implemented at Mala need replication here.
Q: What is the status of the ‘smart road’ project along the Taad Maad temple to Tonca STP road at St Inez?
Panaji has 52km of major roads that have a sewerage network, with 30km having totally changed. Along the new 30km pipeline, 956 new manholes have been constructed. The Taad Maad section remains partially incomplete with six manholes yet to be constructed, reaching depths of 14m. These manholes are crucial as the pipeline needs to traverse beneath the St Inez creek bed to connect to a well. This is part of the final phase, connecting to the sewage treatment plant. Construction was halted in June due to elevated water table levels. The work will resume once the table subsides. The significance of these six manholes cannot be understated, as they serve as the critical junction point. Despite completing 30km of work, the remaining 150m presents a significant challenge.
Q: The segment connecting the Old Patto bridge to the Four Pillar junction falls under the smart road project. However, work has not begun.
We will tackle that road. I am just thinking of how to close it sector by sector. If people object to the closure, it will be a difficult task. I am working on plans.
Q: The walkway-cum-cycling track along the riverbank remains unfinished on the section connecting Marriott to Miramar beach. What is the completion timeline?
We are dropping that stretch from the project. That area belongs to Marriott, whose survey number extends up to 10-15 metres into the river. The hotel had also raised security concerns. So, the next best thing is to ramp it, people can go to the beach and come up. We are completing the work on this project from the Miramar beach side. We have merged grey and green infrastructure to deliver these projects. We have roped in biodiversity experts. We are planting 2,000 trees and this canopy will then move into a green tunnel type of road structure — it is green infrastructure.
Q: IPSCDL’s cameras have an Integrated Command and Control Centre. We hear talk of state govt installing its own cameras through the PWD. Isn’t this an overlap?
CCTV Coverage across Goa must be linked to Smart City's Control Room
Anyone can install cameras; you ensure compatibility with our control centre for monitoring and storage. It is essential that fibre connectivity, software integration, and command operations remain centralised at our facility. Our collaboration with Goa police has been successful, aiding in resolving 400 cases through footage provision and the generation of Rs 13 crore in traffic penalties over the past year. Whether it’s the transport department, police, or the PWD, they can install their cameras, but must ensure they’re compatible with our software and systems. There’s no need for software duplication.
Q: Are the departments in talks with you about expanding?
This communication has to be anchored at a higher level, and govt should anchor this. It has to be taken to the next level.
Q: What about the creation of parking spaces?
No...what do you think is our enforcement for improper parking? Enforcement can solve parking problems. If there is no enforcement, it kills the final product. Space is not an issue, it is an enforcement problem.
Q: IPSCDL has introduced Smart Transit Cards for e-buses, don’t you think digital literacy will be a challenge?
It’s a mindset problem. When people readily use UPI for purchasing fish at markets, they should extend the same digital payment practice when paying bus fares. If a fish vendor accepts UPI transactions, people ought to reciprocate by using digital payments for their bus journeys. This change in mindset and digital literacy will not come overnight but it doesn’t prevent me from implementing it. I will force it and get this done.
Q: Is there any provision for Smart City’s e-bus service at night?
The bus service used to stop at 8pm, but now my last bus leaves either side of the route at 9pm. Many go empty but that is the service I will vouch for and till 9pm you will have a bus leaving the bus stand. I am okay with extending it (the timings). I will check if there is a demand from people and give them a bus.
Q: Smart City began with you at the CCP. If you could go back in time, which projects would you drop?
I think I would have worked on the drainage of 18th June Road and the whole of Panaji. Projects need not be glamorous. Core urban infrastructure is always in the belly. It cannot just please you. You can see the road, but nobody made an effort to see what is under the road, which is 90% of the project, just 10% is the road. I think the thrust should be on drainage, roads, and services.
---
Quelle/Source: The Times of India, 09.12.2024
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
