The Times of India 25.09.2009
SGPDA, MMC meet to thrash out rehab project
MARGAO: In what is being seen as a sign of revving up the proposed project for rehabilitation of displaced traders in the commercial capital, the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) and the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) have agreed to a joint meeting to thrash out the technical issues that have been causing delays in getting the plans approved.
Project architect, Nitin Arolkar, it is reliably learnt, held talks with SGPDA authorities on Thursday where it was decided to hold a joint meeting of the SGPDA and the MMC on September 29 "so as to address all issues there and then".
MMC had submitted drawings of the proposed rehabilitation project to SGPDA for its approval over six months ago. However, SGPDA raised queries over some technical aspects of the plans, especially with regards to the parking space, passages, etc, on several occasions.
Much time has been spent on the correspondence between MMC and SGPDA and has led to a considerable delay in getting the project past the drawing-board stage, said sources.
"The SGPDA has raised queries for the third time, which prompted me to request the authority to schedule a joint meeting of the engineers of both bodies without further delay," Margao municipal council chairperson Savio Coutinho told TOI.
The revised plans, as agreed upon at the joint meeting, will be re-submitted to SGPDA by MMC to be placed for approval at the SGPDA's next board meeting, sources said.
The Rs 6-crore project that was primarily conceptualized as a rehabilitation scheme for displaced vendors, has been designed on the lines of a mega shopping complex that would also generate handsome revenue for the civic body.
Proposed to be built on a plot area of over 4,400 sq m near the Colva circle, the project will be a three storey (G+2) complex with stilt parking arrangements for 100 four-wheelers and 1,500 two-wheelers. While the 248 displaced vendors will be allotted space ranging from four to six sq m on the ground floor area, the first floor will house offices and shops that will be leased out by public auction.
The second floor is planned to be divided into two halves-one section to have a restaurant while the other half will have community services.
Project architect, Nitin Arolkar, it is reliably learnt, held talks with SGPDA authorities on Thursday where it was decided to hold a joint meeting of the SGPDA and the MMC on September 29 "so as to address all issues there and then".
MMC had submitted drawings of the proposed rehabilitation project to SGPDA for its approval over six months ago. However, SGPDA raised queries over some technical aspects of the plans, especially with regards to the parking space, passages, etc, on several occasions.
Much time has been spent on the correspondence between MMC and SGPDA and has led to a considerable delay in getting the project past the drawing-board stage, said sources.
"The SGPDA has raised queries for the third time, which prompted me to request the authority to schedule a joint meeting of the engineers of both bodies without further delay," Margao municipal council chairperson Savio Coutinho told TOI.
The revised plans, as agreed upon at the joint meeting, will be re-submitted to SGPDA by MMC to be placed for approval at the SGPDA's next board meeting, sources said.
The Rs 6-crore project that was primarily conceptualized as a rehabilitation scheme for displaced vendors, has been designed on the lines of a mega shopping complex that would also generate handsome revenue for the civic body.
Proposed to be built on a plot area of over 4,400 sq m near the Colva circle, the project will be a three storey (G+2) complex with stilt parking arrangements for 100 four-wheelers and 1,500 two-wheelers. While the 248 displaced vendors will be allotted space ranging from four to six sq m on the ground floor area, the first floor will house offices and shops that will be leased out by public auction.
The second floor is planned to be divided into two halves-one section to have a restaurant while the other half will have community services.
