Govt should push for getting the three neglected towns under AMRUT at the earliest
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s recent announcement that the government will take up the AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme in Margao, Vasco and Mapusa is a positive development for the improvement of infrastructure in the state’s main towns.
As we wrote earlier, the three towns are on the verge of collapse and need an immediate dose of revitalisation. Speaking at the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) event in Panaji, the Chief Minister said that the main towns would soon witness major improvements in urban infrastructure, water supply and sewage systems.
AMRUT was launched in June 2015 in select 500 cities and towns across the country. The Mission focuses on the development of basic infrastructure in the selected cities and towns in the sectors of water supply, sewerage and septage management, storm water drainage, green spaces and parks, and non-motorised urban transport. AMRUT Mission has been subsumed under AMRUT 2.0, which was launched in October 2021.
For long, we have been hearing that Goa could be turned into a model state. However, it would not be wrong to say that in urban development, Goa has to learn from many others. Governments over the years as well as respective civic bodies have failed to create the infrastructure needed to cope with the rapid urbanisation being witnessed. Good governance has only been a slogan for the urban population. It is the state’s responsibility to develop its towns and cities, and, to some extent, the Centre has been helpful in providing financial assistance. The municipal councils say they are unable to take up major works, and the responsibility falls on the state government.
Mapusa and Margao municipal markets regularly get flooded during the monsoons. Whatever the reasons, it is the joint responsibility of the municipal authorities and the government departments to ensure that the storm water drains are desilted and properly maintained. Why should the shopkeepers, vendors and the public suffer?
Towns have been neglected over the years. Panaji is lucky to have been selected under the Smart City Mission. Perhaps the situation in Panaji was not as bad as in Mapusa, as it is a planned city. If attention is not given to storm water drains, the area will surely be affected during heavy rains. All the towns are facing inadequate parking facilities. In the Mapusa market area, it is sometimes difficult to find parking even for two-wheelers. Multi-level parking has been on the agenda for nearly five years, but there is no initiative to get it done. Whether due to intra-party politics or other reasons, the towns are in bad shape. The port town of Vasco also urgently needs rejuvenation. As in modern towns which follow sustainable models, Goa too should have non-motorised zones.
The world over, cities and towns are considered engines of economic growth. However, the governments, for various reasons, never gave enough attention to their planned development. Neighbourhoods of all the major towns which are witnessing rapid urbanisation too need proper planning.
To bring the three towns under the AMRUT scheme is definitely a good initiative. The government must now set the ball rolling. On a cautionary note, the government will have to ensure that the implementation of works does not follow the pattern seen in Panaji. Lessons need to be learned. The work will have to be carried out in a phased manner, taking stakeholders into consideration and ensuring proper supervision.
