MIRAMAR CIRCLE WORK ON UPGRADATION STEPHEN DIAS DONA PAULA 9422443110 2nd March 2023
I was told GSUDA is now active on two important issues in Panjim in recent times one is at Miramar circle and other is at Campal Stadium grounds under Smart City Mission. At Miramar circle its garden is likely to be renovated. The tiling work around the circle I assumed was never attended since Portuguese left Goa. The surroundings of this circle had cemented tiling covers for the water drainage accumulated due to regular spraying of garden and the rains. Its outlet was supposed to go in front of Pergola through a duct where there was expectation that the water would be absorbed by the sand on the beach. I feel this duct at the circle which was opened needs to be closed permanently as it doesn't serve any purpose. But no one understood the volume of water over the years accumulation on road due to rains. There was not even a rudimentary canal taking the water to the river and no one attempted to fix this over the years which is why Miramar circle area near the PERGOLA gets inundated once the rains start as there is no outlet for this water to go anywhere. Few days back, one fine morning the CCP and the Smart City personnel decided to attend to the titling work which we see now the cemented covers are lifted for maintenance and the whole circle is in a mess. (see the photo). Ex-Mayor Surendra Furtado and was candidate in this area used to raise the issue that this water gets accumulated due to non leveling of the drain to Panjim side and the problem of inundation is seen to nearby colonies. Campal colony is the main target to get affected and luckily there is a pond which gets filled during the rain. Also the other side of road there is another colony called Indoor stadium and their residents are also equally affected due to this overflow coming from Miramar circle. This flooding could be avoided if proper leveling is done to direct the water to a now existing new drain. We have now another dumpyard area which is converted into a mountain hill at Campal Football Stadium where all the mud extracted from nearby sideway road recently upgraded and this mud was recently dumped into this so called Campal football stadium. I have just visited recently this Campal ground and found a number of trucks making trips belonging to GSUDA under the banner of BCPL are plying to clear the mess. Casually I inquired about the foundation stone which was inaugurated many years back of our Ex Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and attended by high dignitaries which was existing at the corner of Campal football stadium. And surprisingly those supervisors of GSUDA at this site told me that foundation stone is missing and most probably been lifted for safety purpose as mud and pipes might have been dumped over it or taken to GSUDA premises. Hearing this, the million dollar question in my mind is whether this Campal Stadium will ever be turned back into a Footbal stadium? Stephen Dias