Highway drainage flaws flood Ponda’s Safa Masjid

Panaji: The iconic Safa Masjid in Ponda is facing serious challenges following this month’s surge in rainfall. A technical flaw in the newly-constructed highway near the Kadamba bus stand is being blamed, as rainwater from the road is flowing directly into the mosque’s premises, flooding its lawns and the centuries-old water tank.

“There is no proper slope for the water to flow,” said Rajesh Nayak, former sarpanch of Bandora. “The flaw in the engineering design has allowed the rainwater to accumulate and rush into the masjid’s gardens, ultimately flooding the tank. We have verbally communicated with engineers of the contractor hired by the PWD to rectify this issue at the earliest, but are still awaiting visible action,” he said.

Constructed in 1560 by Ibrahim Ali Adil Shah, the Safa Masjid is one of the last surviving remnants of Islamic architecture in Goa. Next to the mosque lies a historic water tank known for its unique mihrab-style arches that once served as hammams (bathing niches). These arches, each approximately 2.2m by 1.2m — except for the smaller ones near the stairs — are now being submerged.

“The rainwater carries mud and dirt from the road into the tank. This tank has long supported a delicate aquatic ecosystem, including fish, turtles, and crabs, all of which are now threatened by the polluted inflow,” said Safa Masjid committee president, Murtuza Mulla. The tank is also a vital element of the mosque’s daily religious practices, serving as a source of clean water for ablutions.

The committee has been seeking assistance from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the agency responsible for protecting the site, to intervene in the matter. “Multiple attempts to talk to the ASI have been futile. We are now awaiting communication from them so that we can continue to protect the archaeological site,” said Mulla.