NT Reporter
Vasco
Frustrated by prolonged inaction from civic authorities, occupants of the Julieta Building in Vasco have taken matters into their own hands by repairing a severely damaged pavement adjoining their building at their own expense.
The pavement had caved in several months ago and remained in a hazardous condition, posing serious difficulty and danger to pedestrians, particularly senior citizens who use the pathway daily. Despite the obvious risk to public safety, no remedial action was taken by the authorities.
On July 7, the building’s occupants — Dr Fatima Mesquita, Dr Menezes, Iqbal Mohidin, Ganesh Navelkar, and Sudakar Shetty — submitted a written request to the local elected representative and the executive authorities of the municipality, urging urgent repairs. However, despite repeated
reminders, the residents received no response and saw no action on the ground. Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar was also approached to sort the issue.
With the condition of the pavement deteriorating further and the risk to pedestrians increasing, the occupants collectively decided to undertake the repairs themselves, bearing the considerable cost involved.
Speaking on the issue, the residents stated that a safe and walkable pavement is a basic fundamental right of every citizen. They emphasised that when authorities responsible for public safety fail to act, citizens are often left with no choice but to intervene in the larger interest of the community.
The residents expressed hope that their initiative would serve as a reminder to elected representatives and civic bodies that public safety, accessibility, and cleanliness must be treated as priorities, and that timely responses to civic complaints are essential, especially when the wellbeing of senior citizens and daily pedestrians is at stake.
The incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over civic apathy and the increasing burden placed on citizens to address basic infrastructure failures.
