QUEPEM: Part of the large compound wall of a colonial-era jail at Quepem was demolished on Tuesday to facilitate the construction of a four-storey police station.
The jail, which had four cells, housed prisoners even after Goa was liberated in 1961. It was later converted into a police station and became a landmark at an arterial intersection in Quepem for its heritage quotient and well-maintained garden.
Over the past few years, however, the police station bore the brunt of negligence. Its walls began crumbling and the roof of the jail cells collapsed, prompting the authorities to shift prisoners to Curchorem police station.
The offices of the police station will be shifted to a temporary location within 1.5 months, police sources said, following which the structure will be demolished. Once the new police station is constructed, the rest of the colonial-era wall will come down, wiping out all traces of the historical monument.
The cost of the modern, four-storey structure is estimated to be Rs 7 crore. A work order has been issued by the PWD to private agency, Shivam Infratech. As per the tender, construction will have to be completed on or before February 21 next year.
PWD junior engineer Agusto Pereira told TOI that soil investigation began on Wednesday and test results would be obtained in around five days.
The new building will house the offices of the DySP and PI, police barracks for the IRB, a canteen, seminar hall, a library, rest rooms for personnel, two rooms for drying uniforms, CID, an officer recreation centre and a traffic cell. The fire station will also be accommodated there.
Pereira said renovation of the WRD godowns at Amona has begun. Police offices will be housed there until the new building is completed.
The jail, which had four cells, housed prisoners even after Goa was liberated in 1961. It was later converted into a police station and became a landmark at an arterial intersection in Quepem for its heritage quotient and well-maintained garden.
Over the past few years, however, the police station bore the brunt of negligence. Its walls began crumbling and the roof of the jail cells collapsed, prompting the authorities to shift prisoners to Curchorem police station.
The offices of the police station will be shifted to a temporary location within 1.5 months, police sources said, following which the structure will be demolished. Once the new police station is constructed, the rest of the colonial-era wall will come down, wiping out all traces of the historical monument.
The cost of the modern, four-storey structure is estimated to be Rs 7 crore. A work order has been issued by the PWD to private agency, Shivam Infratech. As per the tender, construction will have to be completed on or before February 21 next year.
PWD junior engineer Agusto Pereira told TOI that soil investigation began on Wednesday and test results would be obtained in around five days.
The new building will house the offices of the DySP and PI, police barracks for the IRB, a canteen, seminar hall, a library, rest rooms for personnel, two rooms for drying uniforms, CID, an officer recreation centre and a traffic cell. The fire station will also be accommodated there.
Pereira said renovation of the WRD godowns at Amona has begun. Police offices will be housed there until the new building is completed.
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