Team Herald
PANJIM: After missing several dates, the city corporation is finally set to implement pay parking in the capital from February 15 with both two and four-wheelers to be charged at the notified stretches for 24 hours on all days.
Mayor Uday Madkaikar informed that besides bringing parking discipline on the roads, the city administration would crackdown on casino vehicles as well as vehicles belonging to those business establishments that unnecessarily occupy parking space all through the day and night.
“The pay parking will be implemented from February 15. It will be a 24×7 project wherein all types of vehicles will be charged on using the pay parking space. This will bring discipline on the roads particularly the two-wheelers which are haphazardly parked, as well as vehicles of casinos which are parked everywhere in the city,” he said at a press conference on Saturday.
Vehicles of several business establishments which are parked all through the day, giving little chance of parking to other vehicles, will also be charged. This, Madkaikar said, also includes tourist taxis.
The Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) has nearly completed all the formalities with the contractor, Zuarkar Associates, in ensuring timely implementation of the long delayed project.
“All the formalities are being done. All payments are done… Rs 96 lakh bank guarantee, 10 percent security amount are deposited (with the CCP). Agreement draft is ready,” he said adding that the marking of the notified pay parking stretches along with installing the charge boards are underway.
The road digging and uneven coverage of dug up areas are to certain extend causing hindrance. Madkaikar said that painting to mark pay parking zone at certain areas will be done after the hot mixing.
The District Magistrate has recently notified pay parking for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. The roads which will now come under the new rule includes 18th June Road commencing from junction of A B Road, Elvina Britto Road and Cunha Riveira Road to D B Marg via Pharmacy College; A B Road commencing from John Paul Building to Caritas Complex, Dom Joao de Castro Road commencing from Old Patto Bridge to Old Secretariat, Elvina Britto Road (Church Square), Roque Souza Road commencing from Elvina Britto Road to M G Road via Velhos Filhos Filhos Building and Cunha Riveira Road commencing from 18th June Road to M G Road via Hindu Pharmacy. The link road between Cunha Riveira Road and Roque Souza Road and Messias Gomes Road commencing from road between Cunha Riveira Road and Roque Souza Road as well as Campal Heritage Precinct have also been made pay parking.
Meanwhile, the CCP is also set to take over the EDC pay parking following a proposal. Madkaikar informed reporters that CCP has taken in-principal approval while final decision will be taken in the council meeting. On the proposal of using the multi-level pay parking for casino vehicles, the Mayor said that Goa Tourism Development Corporation will soon issue tender as currently the structure is meant for only four-wheelers. “We had requested for two-wheeler parking as well, for which GTDC will issue a tender,” he said.
