EDITORIAL
Public buildings should serve as tangible representations of our heritage and culture
The state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Building Construction Corporation (India) Ltd (NBCC) for the redevelopment of seven key infrastructure projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
These include two historic buildings – Junta House in the heart of the state’s capital city and Circuit House in Altinho, Panaji. The others that will go for redevelopment are: government quarters at St Inez, the government garage at Panaji, and the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) bus stand at Vasco.
NBCC (India) Ltd is an Indian public sector undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and is considered a ‘Navratna’ enterprise. The company, formed in the 60s, provides project management consultancy, EPC, and real estate development services across diverse sectors like housing, industry, transportation and power. It has operations across India and abroad too.
Junta House is an iconic building constructed soon after Goa’s Liberation. It is more than just a building as it symbolises the growth story of Goa. It is a building not only known for housing government offices but also a pulsating cultural and astro-science centre. Goa was one of the first to start an astronomical centre, and it was housed on the terrace of this building. The six-storeyed building was the tallest in Goa for several decades. Now, it is a pale shadow of its majestic past.
Circuit House is another old building of heritage value. It once provided comfortable accommodation and the best hospitality to state guests. It is in a dilapidated state, as per a government survey. CM Pramod Sawant said the projects would be executed on a 70:30 space-sharing arrangement, with NBCC retaining about 70 per cent of the developed space and the state government receiving the remaining 30 per cent on lease for a period of 60 years. He said that the projects would be completed within the next two years. Two projects – the Prashasan Stambh building proposed at Chimbel and the new Circuit House – however, will be handed over entirely to the state, Sawant said. The government does not have the financial capacity to undertake the seven projects on its own. Hence, the government has preferred the PPP model. He said that undertaking these projects independently could have cost the exchequer nearly Rs 2,500 crore.
Redeveloping the government quarters is a good decision. The flats, many a time, are in a bad shape. Similarly, Vasco getting a new bus terminus is a positive development for the port town. When we talk of development, one of the public places that needs to be clean and with proper facilities is a bus stand. The standard of a bus stand is reflective of the treatment the government gives to its people, as it is the common man who usually travels by buses.
Coming back to the two projects – Junta House and Circuit House – it is important that the government not go by the architectural plans of NBCC alone. Especially as the Junta House is a landmark and iconic building, it is important that the new building reflects Goa’s heritage. Similarly, for the Prashasan Stambh building too, we need to have a design that reflects the state and its people. The buildings should reinforce community pride and foster a connection between the people, the structure and its surroundings. They should serve as tangible representations of our heritage and cultural identity. For this, there must be collaboration with our architects, artists, and artisans – many of whom are world class. Generally, all public buildings should follow such a model.
