Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Oct 13: Nearly a decade after Panaji embarked on its Smart City Mission in 2015-16, Goa’s capital is still far from fully realizing the vision, with several projects yet to be completed.

According to Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL), the special purpose vehicle implementing the mission, 31 of 35 projects have been completed, putting the official status at 91%. Completed initiatives include smart classrooms, solid waste management, and the Mandovi river Promenade.

However, incomplete works continue to hinder the city’s functionality. Traffic flow along smart roads remains affected due to rampant parking violations, despite designated parking alleys. Non-operational smart bus-stop shelters have also limited the efficiency of the intra-city EV bus service run by the State-owned Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL). The bus-stop project was stalled after design objections were raised by Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate, leading to partially built, unusable shelters.

Meanwhile, three ongoing projects worth Rs 27 crore — development of the Patto area, a water storage tank at Altinho, and a pedestrian walkway along St Inez creek — are under execution. The Rs 7.73 crore satellite community market at Ribandar is also under construction, but work was delayed after the NGPDA halted construction due to deviations from the approved plan.

Officials indicate that while public transport improvements are visible, delays in key infrastructure and challenges in urban discipline continue to slow Panaji’s progress toward becoming a truly smart city.