Ex-mayors slam Monserrates over Smart City works

Panaji: Alarmed by the lethargic execution of Smart City Mission projects and the delayed pre-monsoon works, two former mayors of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) said that Panaji is heading for disaster this coming monsoon.
Surendra Furtado and Uday Madkaikar, who are presently councillors, questioned the lack of oversight by Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserrate and CCP mayor Rohit Monserrate. The Monserrate father-son duo has refused to take responsibility for the ongoing works and has blamed Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd, PWD, and other agencies, they said.
“The Panaji MLA and his son, the mayor, are directors of Smart City. Did they put any dissenting note during the meetings or did they just nod their heads?” said Furtado.
He took a dig at the state government and at Monserrate, cheekily inviting BJP national general secretary B L Santosh to take a tour of the state capital’s inner lanes.
“I invite him to Panaji to see with his own eyes the state of affairs in the capital city and report back to the PMO before the G20 people arrive in Goa,” said Furtado.
Madkaikar said that a lack of planning and poor management have turned Panaji into a traffic mess. “There is no planning, no proper application of mind. I don’t think that they will be able to complete the work before the rains come,” said Madkaikar.
He said that the CCP usually opens up storm water drains in January to clear up debris, something that the civic body has yet to do this year. “All the drains are filled with debris and mud, so Panaji will definitely be flooded. CCP should force the Smart City contractors to start clearing up the drains. This is my request to the mayor to get the pre-monsoon works done by mid-April,” said Madkaikar.
Furtado also claimed that Rs 300 crore earmarked for the development of Panaji have been squandered due to non-utilisation.