Latest news with #IPSCDL
Time of India
31-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
After 4 years, Smart City opens Tonca road with open pits and no footpaths
Panaji: The 200-metre stretch from Taad Maad to the Tonca sewage treatment plant (STP) has been opened — after a long delay — for vehicular traffic, even as workers and engineers scramble to put the finishing touches. Though the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) said that the road was completed, some sections of the footpaths remain incomplete, with paver blocks yet to be placed. Open pits, gravel, and other construction materials are visible along the stretch. Street lighting is also yet to be completed. Debris, metal barricades, sewerage pipelines, and cement blocks remain strewn along the stretch. The IPSCDL said that the construction of the concrete road at St Inez is complete and that it met the high court mandated deadline of May 31. 'The road was re-laid using high-grade, durable concrete, with the addition of footpaths for pedestrians. With the project now complete, the new road is fully traffic-ready,' said an IPSCDL official. 'That will facilitate smoother vehicular movement, improved stormwater drainage, and safer passage for both motorists and pedestrians.' Travelling on the St Inez Road to Tonca and the Caculo mall junction stretch became a nightmare for residents and commuters after IPSCDL decided to dig up the Taad Maad junction around four years ago. 'The road is now open to the public, representing a key milestone in Panaji's ongoing infrastructure transformation under the Smart City Mission,' the IPSCDL official said. IPSCDL got the contractors to hurriedly clear up the challenging 200-metre stretch, which emerged as a 'focal point' of the Smart City Mission, particularly the sewerage renovation project. The sewerage network required extensive underground utility works, including the installation of a 710-mm diameter trunk sewerage line at the Taad Maad junction. However, the new sewerage line has yet to be connected to the Tonca STP, with work nearing completion. 'The new sewerage line was laid in a manner that ensures the existing line remains intact and fully functional. Once the new line is connected to the STP and commissioned, the old line will become redundant,' an IPSCDL engineer said.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
With e-buses, daily commute gets a quiet makeover in Panaji
A fleet of clean, comfortable and silent electric buses has brought about a paradigm shift in public transport in Panaji city, amid a growing number of residents embracing the change. As part of the Centre's Smart City Mission , 48 such e-buses are crisscrossing the length and breadth of Goa's capital, ferrying thousands of commuters daily, under the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) project. Jove Costa, Public Engagement Officer at IPSCDL, told PTI that several residents are ditching their private vehicles in favour of these electric buses. The fleet, which includes 12-metre, 9-metre, and 7-metre buses, has been introduced by the state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited, under the Panaji Smart City project being implemented by the Pramod Sawant government in Goa, he said. Between July 2024 and March 2025, he said, nearly 1.7 million (17 lakh) commuters travelled on these buses, which cumulatively covered 8.8 lakh km. 'People are happy with the convenience of using these buses for travel within the Panaji city,' Costa said. The official said the introduction of digital modes of payment for tickets has helped boost ridership. 'About 33 per cent of the fares collected came in through digital means like UPI, debit or credit cards, and most importantly through our smart transit card where people make a one-time purchase and then recharge it,' he said. The official said that close to 19,500 smart cards have been generated for bus users. 'The upward trend in footfall indicates how people are accepting this smart mode of transport. It is smooth, low-cost, and helps cut down pollution too,' he said. With more residents preferring to travel by these air-conditioned e-buses over their private cars and two-wheelers, the city roads have started getting decongested, the official said. 'The buses have helped lower emissions and fuel use, making daily travel cleaner. They have ramps to provide easier access to the physically challenged,' he said. Commuter Laxmi Desai said the e-buses are very comfortable, and she is particularly happy as tickets can be bought through UPI. 'It's very good for those who don't carry cash. The buses are nice and air-conditioned, so we don't feel stressed,' she said. Ashok Shetty, a businessman from Panaji, lauded the initiative. 'We now don't have to travel by bike or car,' he said. Like Desai, he said he also finds the UPI option convenient. 'I urge people to use these e-buses, which reduce traffic jams and pollution,' he added.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
With e-buses, daily commute gets a quiet makeover in Panaji
Panaji, A fleet of clean, comfortable and silent electric buses has brought about a paradigm shift in public transport in Panaji city, amid a growing number of residents embracing the change. As part of the Centre's Smart City Mission, 48 such e-buses are crisscrossing the length and breadth of Goa's capital, ferrying thousands of commuters daily, under the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited project. Jove Costa, Public Engagement Officer at IPSCDL, told PTI that several residents are ditching their private vehicles in favour of these electric buses. The fleet, which includes 12-metre, 9-metre, and 7-metre buses, has been introduced by the state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited, under the Panaji Smart City project being implemented by the Pramod Sawant government in Goa, he said. Between July 2024 and March 2025, he said, nearly 1.7 million commuters travelled on these buses, which cumulatively covered 8.8 lakh km. 'People are happy with the convenience of using these buses for travel within the Panaji city,' Costa said. The official said the introduction of digital modes of payment for tickets has helped boost ridership. 'About 33 per cent of the fares collected came in through digital means like UPI, debit or credit cards, and most importantly through our smart transit card where people make a one-time purchase and then recharge it,' he said. The official said that close to 19,500 smart cards have been generated for bus users. 'The upward trend in footfall indicates how people are accepting this smart mode of transport. It is smooth, low-cost, and helps cut down pollution too,' he said. With more residents preferring to travel by these air-conditioned e-buses over their private cars and two-wheelers, the city roads have started getting decongested, the official said. 'The buses have helped lower emissions and fuel use, making daily travel cleaner. They have ramps to provide easier access to the physically challenged,' he said. Commuter Laxmi Desai said the e-buses are very comfortable, and she is particularly happy as tickets can be bought through UPI. 'It's very good for those who don't carry cash. The buses are nice and air-conditioned, so we don't feel stressed,' she said. Ashok Shetty, a businessman from Panaji, lauded the initiative. 'We now don't have to travel by bike or car,' he said. Like Desai, he said he also finds the UPI option convenient. 'I urge people to use these e-buses, which reduce traffic jams and pollution,' he added.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
St Inez sewerage work over, road fixes near completion
Panaji: The sewerage line from Taad Maad shrine to the Tonca sewage treatment plant (STP) has been completed, paving the way for the road to be repaired and made motorable, the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) IPSCDL said it has also laid the final layer of asphalt across all roads in the capital city that were dug up under the Smart City Mission . However, within hours of the IPSCDL announcing that the roads were repaired, the PWD's sewerage division began digging up roads, including the D B Road.'Significant progress is also underway on St Inez road, where 3,000m of concrete roadwork is nearing completion. The crucial sewerage line connection from Taad Maad shrine to the STP was successfully executed, paving the way for final touches on the road surfacing ,' said IPSCDL managing director Sanjit said that any digging near D B Road should not be attributed to the completion of the resurfacing of roads in the city, aside from St Inez, marks a significant milestone in the transformation of central Panaji's core road repaired roads are MG Road from St Inez Junction to UCO Bank, SV Road, T B Cunha Road, 18th June Road, Cunha Rivera Road, and smaller road stretches around the municipal market. The IPSCDL said that the next step would involve road painting and installation of traffic signages by May 31. The IPSCDL will focus on plantation drives from June 1 to June 30 to enhance urban greenery and improve ecological balance . 'Special care is being taken to ensure higher survival rates of planted trees through climate-resilient techniques and regular monitoring,' Rodrigues said.'We are well on track, with substantial progress made across key project areas including road surfacing, signage, and utility integration. Our teams have worked diligently to ensure quality execution with minimal disruption to public life. As we approach the final stretch, our focus remains on timely delivery, sustainable landscaping, and long-term urban resilience.'
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Panaji's e-buses boost revenue, cut emissions by 66.5 tonnes
Panaji: Clocking 8.8 lakh kilometres and ferrying close to 17 lakh passengers between July 2024 and March 2025, the revenue from the Panaji Smart City electric bus (e-bus) initiative jumped from Rs 6.5 lakh in July to Rs 27.2 lakh by March. 'Panaji is embracing a cleaner, smarter, and more connected future,' said chief executive officer and managing director of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) Sanjit Rodrigues. 'The general public's response to electric buses and digital payments has exceeded expectations, paving the way for a scalable model for other areas.' Leading the charge, the Yellow bus route saw an marked rise in digital revenue from just Rs 10 to Rs 2. lakh, with passenger volume more than doubling. Meanwhile, the Red route's conductor-less segment witnessed a 304% leap in digital payments, while the Indigo and Blue routes also posted strong gains despite roadblocks and initial sluggish starts. Beyond numbers, the system is driving a positive impace on the climate — cutting 66.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each month. With high earning per kilometre (EPKM) figures and increasing digital adoption, 'the Panaji Smart City E-Bus project has emerged as a successful model for sustainable and digitally empowered urban transportation', Rodrigues said. Under the Smart Public Transit initiative, a total of 48 e-buses — ranging from 12-metre to 7-metre variants — have been deployed across Panaji. These buses operate on seven routes — Panaji, Mala, Bhatulem, Altinho, Taleigao, Santa Cruz, Bambolim, Dona Paula, and Cujira, with charging stations located at Porvorim (8) and Campal (2). With payments carried out through the Smart transit card and digital ticketing app, a total of 19,533 smart cards have been issued by the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) and IPSCDL.
