Panaji: Mapusa’s long-pending infrastructure gaps are back in focus, assuring that the town will finally be made accessible for persons with disabilities (PwDs).The assurance followed a request from the state commissioner for persons with disabilities, Guruprasad Pawaskar, who visited Mapusa with chief minister Pramod Sawant and Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation chairperson and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Friday.During the visit, several PwDs highlighted issues of missing ramps, non-existent accessible pathways, and a lack of mobility-friendly civic design. They said moving through the town has become unsafe and exhausting, even for routine tasks.Lobo said he would submit a formal note to chief minister Sawant seeking approval to take up accessibility-related work in Mapusa. He said once in-principle approval is granted, the work should be started on a fast-track basis. He also estimated that the development works could cost around Rs 15–20 crore.Sawant did not comment on the wider criticism over Mapusa’s lagging civic infrastructure. The town continues to face persistent problems such as inadequate parking and an improper garbage management system.Earlier, the CM attended the ‘Sarkar Tumchya Dari’ programme in Mapusa with MLA Joshua D’Souza, where citizens raised grievances directly. He instructed officials to examine the issues and ensure time-bound resolution without requiring repeated visits to govt offices.
