NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Despite undergoing a lot of transformation and change, the city of Panaji still stands firm today, said author and historian Dr Celsa Pinto. He was speaking on ‘Panaji – Past, Present, and Future’ at an event organised by Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Thursday.
Tracing the journey of how the city of Panaji has developed over the years, from a marshy piece of land to a city, and then to the capital city, Pinto said, “It is nostalgic and historic to watch how the city of Panaji has taken shape. It has served various purposes over the years. Back in the 15 and 16th century for a short period of time, the city served as an important military station. While the Portuguese for nearly 84 years carried out various important activities in the capital and till date the city continues to serve its purpose.”
“It is one of the unique cities. You can find a well-planned and spaced out city with open spaces, gardens, squares and other areas of recreation here. Therefore, there is something different in Panaji,” added Pinto.
Historian Sanjeev Sardesai, speaking about Panaji’s rich history and heritage, said that though the city of Panaji is undergoing a lot of transformation due to smart city and other projects, there is a need for the people and the authorities to preserve the history and conserve it for the future generation.
He spoke about various historic sites like the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church which is an important structure dating back to the 16th century. He also made a mention about ‘Ponte Conde de Linhares’, the 3.2-kilometre causeway connecting Ribandar to Panaji city which was one of the longest bridge in Asia. At the same time he spoke about the various memorial and historic structures that hold great importance to the history of Goa.
Giving an insight into what are the smart city projects and proposals for Panaji, MD and CEO of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd S Pal Chaudhuri said that the aim of the smart city project is to transform the city without destroying its rich history and heritage.