Team Herald

PANJIM: Imagine this situation. There is a High Court order against encroachments on footpaths and so also an order from the North Goa Collector and Traffic Police against granting of permission for stalls for Asthami fair. However, the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) has overruled all the orders and the result is a traffic mess on D B Marg.

Last week Herald had reported that despite the North Goa Collector rejecting permissions and asking not to go against Court order, the CCP granted approval for Ashtami fair on Campal Promenade.

Documents available with Herald reveal that the North Goa Collector had said that granting permission would create a traffic mess. But despite his advice, the CCP Commissioner Ajit Roy gave his nod overriding the Collector’s concern.

Now, since there are holidays due to the Chaturthi festival, the fair has created a traffic chaos with auto-rickshaws, two-wheelers and four-wheelers parked, right from the Children’s Park to the Ferry wharf. However, the authorities have failed to take any action.

Traffic Superintendent Dharmesh Angle told Herald that the Goa Police Traffic cell has not granted any permission for the fair.

“It is the CCP which has solely given permission without taking any such issues of traffic into consideration,” Angle said.

He said that the traffic police are concentrating on market areas as it is Ganesh festival time.

“There is staff for regular duty but not for the illegal parking on DB Marg. For us the markets are more important to decongest,” he said.

Angle also said that being Ganesh there is also shortage of staff.