Panaji: Once praised by the Niti Aayog for its role in sustainable urban development and wetland conservation, the Mangrove Boardwalk at Patto has lost its value for the state capital, according to Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) mayor Rohit Monserrate. On Thursday, he announced that the CCP will proceed with dismantling the wooden structure.
"Fixing the boardwalk will be of no value. There are a lot of illegal activities happening there. It was becoming a health and safety issue, and we have decided to remove it. Whatever is well-maintained will remain. For us, there is no value in keeping it," Monserrate said.
The Rs 2.5 crore mangrove boardwalk, located behind the central library, was constructed by the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd as part of the Smart City Mission. However, after its completion, the project fell into disarray, and a fire partially destroyed the structure.
"If it is not in public interest, then we will remove it. We have not got the handover for many of these things. We cannot put corporation money into these projects because it has not been given to us," said Monserrate.
The mayor also stated that the city is prepared for the monsoons, with only 10% of pre-monsoon work pending completion. Monserrate conducted a late-night inspection at Dona Paula alongside the Panaji police station team to assess concerns related to public spaces and overall civic upkeep.
