Team Herald

PANJIM: With the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) terminating the contract for clamping of wrongly parked vehicles in Panjim, the capital’s streets have become free for parking all over again. 

While CCP is making efforts to ease traffic chaos and haphazard parking in the city, ending the clamping contract will cause further problems as the responsibility of maintaining traffic discipline is now solely with the traffic cell of Goa Police.

Panjim Mayor Shubham Chodankar said, “We had taken a step in bringing traffic discipline in Panjim. But now, like before, Traffic Cell of Goa Police will become more active and keep a track on wrong parking in the city.”

The move to cancel the contract came when around 17 CCP councillors submitted a memorandum to Chodankar demanding that the contract for clamping of vehicles be revoked. 

Following continuous pressure from certain councillors, CCP resolved to discontinue the tender awarded to a private party for lifting/towing/clamping vehicles wrongly parked or causing traffic hurdles within the jurisdiction of the corporation. 

Councillors had claimed that it was a matter of making money for the contractor and was affecting people of Panjim. Councillors said that in the past six months they received several complaints from people due to the high rates charged by the agency. They also stated that there was only one tender which was received and awarded, thus claiming the agreement was one sided.

Local residents too bear this out. Panjim resident Soham Kamat said, “It is a good move by CCP, as these people used to take money without giving receipts. The actual rate was Rs 400, but these people asked for Rs 100 and did not provide a receipt so that they could keep the money with them.”

But there are others who feel differently. Speaking to Herald, a shop owner on 18 June Road said, “Clamping of cars and bikes had created fear among people and they had stopped parking in the no-parking areas and had also stopped double parking. But now I fear that haphazard parking will surely create chaos once again.”

The clamping contract had been awarded as traffic indiscipline in the city was growing, as situation that is now returning. Now, the traffic cops will tow vehicles to the police station and after payment of chalan, the vehicle will be released.