VIBHA VERMA
vibha@herald-goa.com
Exactly a year after the City Corporation scrapped pay parking in the city limits, the legal battle to recover around Rs 30 lakh from the then contractor Straight Deal Services continues. The contract allotted to the Margao-based agency on May 2, 2016 ended on April 30, 2017 with ex-Commissioner Dipak Desai urging people not to pay parking fees from May 1, 2017.
While the contract was initially awarded for Rs 63.01 lakh, which meant Straight Deal Services had to pay monthly charges of Rs 5.25 lakh from May 2016 till April 2017. It was based on a representation made by the company that Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP) agreed to give rebate from May 2016 to October 2016 and asked it to pay Rs 2.50 lakh for months.
However, despite CCP reducing the contract amount from Rs 63.01 lakh to Rs 46.50 lakh approx, CCP alleged only Rs 8 lakh in four installments of Rs 2 lakh each was paid. CCP further forfeited the bank guarantee deposited by the contractor of Rs 830,100 and the total amount recovered ultimately totalled up to Rs 1,630,100. It was thereafter that CCP decided to take the legal recourse to recover the remaining amount.
The contractor had made counter allegations that its earnings were lower than estimated because CCP failed to demarcate the parking areas, allegations that CCP repeatedly denied.
Present Commissioner Ajit Roy for the latest on the case but he declined to comment stating the matter was sub-judice.
Mayor Vithal Chopdekar conceded the Corporation has not received the balance amount so far. “We haven’t received the balance amount from the contractor as yet. The matter is sub-judice. Nevertheless, I will hold a meeting with the Commissioner to decide further course of action,” he told Herald.
After a sour experience, the Corporation had decided to have a re-look at the policy and then go ahead with the process of tendering the project afresh.
However, it is learnt that with Imagine Panjim Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) coming up with Parking Policy and Parking Master Plan, pay parking concept might be integrated into it.
