PONDA: Even during normal market days, shortage of parking space in Ponda Market causes parking problems for commuters. This problem was more evident during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. During the two-day Ganesh festival Matoli Bazaar, vendors selling matoli goods saw that many two wheelers who were allowed entry in market were seen parking their vehicles in front of their matoli items thus obstructing their customers from approaching their shops and losing business in the process.
Some Matoli vendors regretted that inspite of paying heavy fees to the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) there was no planning for parking which made it very difficult to carry on with their business. Customers were unable to approach them as bikes were allowed to park before their goods.
Similarly thousands of people from the taluka were seen moving around the market looking around the place to park their vehicles and cars. With very few parking spots available they were finally forced to park their vehicles at roadside resulting in traffic congestion. It is very difficult to get a parking spot in the Ponda Market and vehicles parked on the roadside inconveniences commuters and buyers to move around and make purchases.
“Indiscipline and lack of planning in Ponda Matoli Bazar caused great hardships to thousands of buyers as well as vendors. People faced parking problem as all roads leading to Ponda Matoli Bazaar were congested with the parking of vehicles by the roadside,” said Sukanand Naik who had come to buy matoli items.
However, there was ample space behind the Ponda Market road but only few people parked their vehicles as it is at a little distance from the place and difficult for Matoli buyers to carry their loaded bags.
Matoli Vendors, on condition of anonymity, said that the sitting arrangement of vendors and parking is chaotic. The problem arises not only for the vendors doing business by sitting on both sides of road but also due to the haphazard parking which creates chaos and congestion.
“There is urgent need to solve this issue and one easy solution is vendors should be given one side of road and parking should be allowed opposite side of road, said one of the vendors.
“The parking problem occurs for only two days and for the sake of vendors, who are mostly Ponda Taluka vendors, even the traditional Matoli Bazaar has been even shifted to its original place. We have made all arrangement for parking and visitors are also expected to observe some discipline in parking so as to minimise the parking problems,” said Pradeep Naik, chairperson of PMC.
