Staff Reporter
Panaji
The furnishing work for the new Social Welfare Department office is expected to begin in March, pending final approval from the Goa State Works Board (GSWB), a Public Works Department (PWD) official said.
The project, estimated to cost Rs 1 crore, has faced delays in the approval process. But officials are hopeful that work will commence soon and will be completed before the monsoon.
“We are putting in our best efforts to get things done as quickly as possible,” the official said.
Currently, the Social Welfare Department operates from a 110-year-old building on 18th June Road in Panaji, which has been in a deteriorating condition for years.
Leaking roofs during the monsoon have led staff to dry important documents in the sun, while partial ceiling collapses have raised fears about electrical short circuits. The department has been in continuous discussions with PWD officials. On April 24, 2024, the department sent a letter to the PWD’s executive engineer detailing damage caused by the pre-monsoon rains on April 20 that year and requested urgent repairs, including new roof tiles, asbestos sheets, and plastic window coverings.
PWD officials assured that relocation plans are in progress, with the new office being set up at the Goa Housing Board complex in Porvorim. “The shift will provide a safer environment for both staff and visitors,” an official said.
Visitors and staff have for long complained about the current office’s condition, stating that essential public services should not be housed in unsafe buildings.
