Infrastructure boost for state through G20 meets

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday reviewed the preparations ahead of the G20 meetings scheduled to start on April 17. He took stock of various aspects, including infrastructure, internet connectivity, transportation, and cultural components, among others.
The meeting was attended by nodal officer (G20) Sanjit Rodrigues, IGP Omvir Singh, and OSDs and link officers of the department concerned, among others.
Issues discussed included civil works under the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation, civil infrastructure works under the PWD, food testing by the FDA, medical coverage under the directorate of health, waste management by the Goa Waste Management Corporation, liaison officers under the protocol department, and aesthetic lighting of monuments by the electricity department.
Meanwhile, earlier speaking on the preparations, Rodrigues mentioned the benefits the state would accrue from the work undertaken for the G20. “Ongoing infrastructure-related works are not easy to fast track. As much as people have been put through a lot of inconvenience, the results will be seen and will benefit Goa. The last time such infrastructure-related works were done was in 2003, when Goa hosted Iffi for the first time,” said Rodrigues.
The works undertaken by the Corporation of the City of Panaji include maintenance of gardens and roadside greenery, as well as landscape development. Roads and pavements will be swept every night, and leaf litter cleared. Teams have also been appointed to handle any disasters during the monsoon.
Main roads in the city have been improved, and work has begun on painting medians. The quality of roads was a major concern, with citizens inconvenienced for over three months. “We have strengthened and improved the riding quality from the Divja Circle to Old Goa and the ring road around the Old Goa church,” said Bhushan Savaikar, PWD, civil works for the G20.
The authorities have also booked the multilevel car parking facility at Patto and the Goa University grounds to cater to the parking needs.
Several old structures in the city, including houses along the Latin Quarter and facades of heritage structures in Sao Tome, Mala, and Fontainhas, have been repainted.