JoeGoaUk's Point of View: The New South Goa Collectorate, Margao

South Goa Collectorate

Work started 21/12/07
Date of Completion was 20/6/10

Finally inaugurated 28^th Feb 2013 ( Fully completion could take another 6 months or so)
Initial cost Rs.57 crores (Dec. 2007)
Inflated cost 140 crores (Dec.2012) further inflating process in on
Offically termed as ‘White elephant’ (Paandhara Hatti).

Not fully ready Collectorate finally inaugurated only to coincide with the Minister’s Birthday

Shri Avertano Furtado (new Independent MLA of Navelim Constituency but alliance member of BJP) on 28th Feb. 2013. The City MLA who was then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat who laid the foundation stone, in now a member of Opposition Party. Other local MLA (Ind.) is Vijay Sardesai (Fatorda) a diehard critics of the present Govt. and CM in particular. However, his predecessor's (Damu) name did appear in the Foundation Stone name plaque in 2007 which is located to the right of the present new one (front Entrance).

What’s exactly is collectorate?

It is a sort of district (South Goa) Head Quarters complex

(Location of all Govt. offices at one central place).

Ministers Cabins, Collector’s and his offices, including Dy. Collectors and their courtrooms, Malatdars, jt. Malatdars and their courts, Block Development Officers (BDO), Panchayat Director and his deputies and their courts, Talathis, Sub-registrar, NIC offices etc etc

The building also has 4-5 conference halls with latest technology such as Net connectivity, Video Satellite conference, provision for facilities like ATMs, Senior Citizen Counters etc

The 4 storey building has various blocks with 3 main entrances, 2 side entrances has 3 lifts in the lobby. Each entrance has about 37 steps (Staircase).

Frontal entrance has raised vehicle access upto the door and the lobby has one lift.

The total area of the building 33,725 sq.mtrs. External painting only cost Rs.30 Lacs (with 5 years guarantee).

Besides, the parking area is 5,814 sq. mtrs.

The whole project/building is 1.8 times bigger than the Goa Vidhan Sabha or Assembly Complex, so says the Goa CM in his speech (watch video below)

Following are the pics taken at various stages ranging from 2009-2013

28.2.2013

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8517420588/sizes/l/in/photostream/

evening /night

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8516328335/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8516339795/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8516385887/sizes/l/in/photostream/

frontal access

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8516368675/sizes/l/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8518522198/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Lifts /lobby

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8517441430/in/photostream/

Dome

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8517424888/in/photostream/

CM launching e-Matriz

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8517476804/in/photostream/

CM Parrikar
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8517398511/in/photostream/

Other dignitaries

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8517408681/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Dy CM Francis D'Souza, MLA Caitu D'Silva, Parimal Rai (Secretary Revenue IAS),
MLA Pramod Sawant, MLA Anant Shet (Dy. speaker), Cong. MLA Babu Kavlekar,
Collector ND Agarwal, GSHDC Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues, ZP Chairperson
Nelly Rodrigues, NRI Commissioner Wilfred Misquita, MLA Benjamin d'Silva,
MLA Subash Phaldesai, MLA Rajan Naik etc also present.

Avertano Furtado

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk65/8516303353/in/photostream/