Source: The Times of India Goa August 2, 2014
PORVORIM: Infrastructure planning consultants, LKS, who are drawing up plans for Panaji will be asked to also draw up plans for Margao and Porvorim, and planning consultants will also be appointed for Mapusa, Ponda and Vasco, chief minister Manohar Parrikar told the legislative assembly on Friday.
Speaking on a private member's resolution by Porvorim independent MLA Rohan Khaunte, Parrikar said that by the end of 2015, the government will think of appointing such consultants for all parts of the state in view of the "decaying urban infrastructure".
Khaunte's resolution was to recommend to the government that a consultant be appointed to draw out an infrastructure plan for Goa and specially for fast growing constituencies like Porvorim, etc, to avoid problems faced by outgrown cities and towns. Following the chief minister's assurance, Khaunte later withdrew his resolution.
The Porvorim MLA said that with the rise in population, there were problems of congestion, parking, noise, etc, and this was the right time to plan for proper growth of the rural and urban areas. Parrikar agreed with Khaunte.
Justifying his "decaying urban infrastructure" comment, Parrikar cited the sewage lines in Margao which had become porous due to which water seeped into it and caused problems. He said that though LKS has been engaged to plan for Panaji, the scope of their work will be extended to cover Margao and will also be asked to look at Porvorim.
Planning consultants will also be engaged to draw up plans for Mapusa, Ponda and Vasco, Parrikar said, adding that initially five cities will be covered. By the end of 2015, government will think of entire Goa, he said.
Parrikar praised LKS for the high quality of their work and urged legislators to check this out on the fully-concrete road being built from Miramar-Panaji to Dona Paula circle.
