Junta House Declared Unsafe – Govt Offices Ordered to Vacate in 30 Days.

Panjim || 4July Junta House was Built: Early 1960s—one of Goa’s first multi‑storey administrative buildings, originally housing both residences and offices. Originally: Goa’s tallest structure at the time.Now in pathetic condition.Despite a government-issued evacuation order citing structural dangers, Junta House in Panaji continues to house several functioning government offices, raising serious questions about safety and administrative clarity. Adding to the confusion, parts of the dilapidated building are currently undergoing renovation work, even as departments were supposed to vacate the premises within 30 days.The order, issued earlier this year by the North Goa District Collector, followed multiple complaints and incidents—most recently, a ceiling collapse in the UPS room on the fourth floor. No casualties were reported, but the scare was enough to prompt calls for immediate relocation.However, when this reporter visited the building this week, the scene told a different story. Offices of key departments like Civil Supplies, Women & Child Commission, and the Sub-Registrar were not only open but actively serving the public. Surprisingly, fresh renovation work was underway in some sections, further muddying the status of the evacuation.Employees expressed deep concern. “The building is falling apart. Plaster is peeling, the ceiling leaks, lifts don’t work, and now we hear it’s being renovated instead of vacated? What’s going on?” said one government worker, requesting anonymity.Visitors shared similar grievances. “The toilets are unusable. There’s no drinking water, and the garbage is piling up right at the entrance,” said a senior citizen who had come to update land records.Earlier this year, the government allocated ₹11 lakh for a structural audit of the building, and a redevelopment plan under NBCC Ltd. was announced as part of a ₹10,000 crore infrastructure revamp. However, no firm timeline for relocation or reconstruction has been made public.Until then, the decaying Junta House stands as a symbol of bureaucratic delay—where danger looms overhead, quite literally, but daily work grinds on.