Goa: Colva beach beautification work bears brunt of Tauktae

COLVA: While cyclone Tauktae inflicted wide-spread damage across the state, at Colva beach, the recent beautification and developmental work undertaken has fallen victim to its rage.
Several electrical poles are lying uprooted, while lamps on many of the poles have disappeared. The gazebos placed on the beach too have suffered damage. While these ornamental poles tend to get ripped up in stormy weather every year, this time around, the damage has been caused even before the monsoon begins.
The beautification work commenced in 2018 and till date, nearly Rs 11.7 crore has been spent on works such as beautification of the road and the existing island, landscaping, illumination and construction of pathways, drainage systems, toilet blocks with changing rooms, four-wheeler parking facility for 80 vehicles and two-wheeler parking provision for 327 vehicles, 54 parking slots for public vehicles and play equipment for the children’s play area.
The entire project is funded jointly by the state and central government under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme on 40:60 basis.
In 2020, seven gazebos made of steel and fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) were installed, six at Colva and one at Sernabatim beach. Claiming that the gazebos were ideally suited to Goan weather conditions, GTDC officials had at that time claimed that they could withstand all weather conditions.
However, in August itself the lone gazebo at Sernabatim beach and four at Colva beach were damaged due to inclement weather after which they were dismantled for repairs. The one at Sernabatim beach was never re-installed and at Colva, from a total of six, only four gazebos remained.
Stating that man is helpless before nature, Goa Tourism Development Corporation managing director Nikhil Desai said that a detailed report of the damage has already been submitted to the government. Further, he said repairs will be undertaken in the due course of time.