MARGAO, Goa – After weeks of frustrating delays and escalating concerns over public safety, authorities in Margao have finally launched a comprehensive structural assessment of 22 buildings deemed hazardous across the city. This critical undertaking follows direct directives from South Goa Collector Egna Cleetus, spurred by a series of recent building collapses that have shaken the community.
Engineers from the Goa College of Engineering (GEC) commenced inspections earlier this week, initially focusing on four of the identified structures. This decisive action comes nearly a month after Collector Cleetus issued strong warnings for immediate intervention. The Public Works Department (PWD) had been specifically tasked with securing structural stability reports from the GEC within a week, particularly after the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) had cited financial limitations as a hurdle to conducting these vital evaluations.
The urgency of the GEC’s involvement is acutely felt in the wake of recent mishaps. Just last month, Margao witnessed three separate incidents, including parapet collapses at Antao Apartments and behind Pimplaped, along with a gallery collapse in the Cine Lata area. These alarming events had already prompted the collector to order the immediate demolition of four dilapidated buildings, among them Indira Apartments and the Cabecca de Calconde building.
However, the path to this evaluation hasn’t been smooth, plagued by administrative sluggishness. Despite the collector’s May 27 directive to update the list of unsafe buildings within a week, the MMC reportedly failed to meet the deadline. Insiders at the MMC indicated that their existing list of 22 unsafe structures dated back several years and hadn’t seen an update, even though notices for structural repairs had been dispatched to 56 building owners over the past few years.
Dipak Faldessai, the MMC’s municipal engineer, confirmed the start of the assessments. “We have guided the GEC team to all the building locations,” Faldessai noted. “Once their tests to determine structural integrity are complete, they will submit their findings directly to the collector.”
The GEC’s thorough review will encompass all 22 buildings currently flagged by the MMC as unsafe. The forthcoming report is anticipated to be a pivotal document, informing the collector’s ultimate decision on the fate of these properties – whether they face immediate demolition or can be saved through necessary repairs. The goal is clear: to prevent future tragedies and safeguard Margao’s residents.
