MARGAO
Days before his tenure could end in 2014, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha had launched two ambitious projects in Margao under the MPLAD scheme – CCTV surveillance cameras covering the entire city and beautification of the steps leading to Monte Hill chapel adjoining Hospicio.
While the CCTV cameras, installed at a cost of lakhs of rupees, are all down and out, the steps and the beautified place seem to have been completely forgotten by the authorities. Lack of maintenance and absence of security to keep miscreants and vandals at bay has rendered the beautified space an eyesore.
While the steps connecting Monte Hill to the city’s main entrance road near the Hospicio were the most-talked about project when it was inaugurated on the eve of the 2014 Lok Sabha election, people avoid going to the place for want of maintenance.
A visit to the place has revealed that titles of the steps are crumbling down. A couple of lamp poles were found fallen on the ground, while beer cans are seen strewn all over the area, indicating the place has become a den for anti-social elements.
Local residents had demanded maintenance of the beautified steps and also security by the Margao Municipal Council to keep the miscreants at bay.
Sadly, while MMC ward councillor Glen Andrade had time and again taken up the matter with the civic body, the ground reality has not changed for the better to date.
