ANDREA FERNANDES
Parking and traffic congestion are the major issues faced by the residents as well as those visiting the city of Mapusa.
Despite several suggestions and attempts made by the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) and traffic cell authorities, the problem still remains unsolved. They have tried to aid the traffic flow and ensure smooth transportation but haven’t succeeded for far.
Whenever one visits the market or the banks located in Mapusa, one can observe that it’s difficult to find a vacant parking slot.
The people, who work outside Mapusa, usually park their vehicles in this stretch and proceed by bus to their workplace. Another major problem Mapusa faces is that of abandoned vehicles lying on the roadsides for months. Then there is the case of residents parking their vehicles and bikes on the road side.
Against this backdrop, what’s only adding to the problem is that over 1,000 vehicles are registered Mapusa Regional Transport Office (RTO) per month.
With the increasing number of vehicles, traffic congestion is bound to become acute in the coming years.
The new Mapusa bus terminus along with a multi-level parking facility will be able to solve the parking issue to a great extent. The first phase of the bus stand work began in February 2015, by Sangam Construction, a firm based at Tisk in Ponda.
The filing of land was done at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,32,00,000 for the land admeasuring 23,000 sq.mt. Phase I, which is been already completed, comprised of levelling of the low lying land. The actual construction of the bus terminus will be undertaken during phases II and III of the construction work, which is yet to see the light of the day.
The Chairperson of MMC, Ryan Braganza told Herald that the work of the new bus stand and multi-level parking facility will be commencing soon after the monsoon.
Last year, at an MMC meeting conducted on the issue of parking, there were discussions on an alternative place for pay parking in the town. An area of around 3,806 sq mts of land was identified behind the Mamlatdar Office for this new proposed parking arrangement.
The owner of the property was supposed to get 60 per cent of the income from parking while the municipality would profit the balance 40 per cent.
The area was to house approximately around 800 bikes and 160 cars but the plan has not materialised. A councillor from MMC, Franky Carvalho highlighted that parking is a major problem in Mapusa and the only solution to this, is the new bus terminus cum multi-level parking facility.
“The work on the next phase of this project should begin shortly. The MMC had identified a piece of land behind the mamlatdar office, which would accommodate around 800 bikes and 160 cars. We are still in talks with the owner of the land and things have not materialised yet,” said Carvalho.
A local and former member of State Transport Authority, Rogers D’souza highlighted the pitiful state in Mapusa in regards to parking and congestion.
“For the last several years, parking has been a major issue in Mapusa. Especially on the Friday market days. On these days, there is no place to even park a two-wheeler. It is a desperate situation. Cars should be parked in a spot on the outskirts of Mapusa, as the roads running through the city are narrow. More pay parking areas should be identified by the MMC,” said Roger.
