PANJIM: Considering the chaotic traffic situation witnessed every IFFI, and with the distinct possibility of a spillover from the visitors to the Exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier, the ruling group in the CCP wanted to implement the project on the eve of ten-day long film festival, beginning from November 20 (the exposition starts from November 22), but opposition councillors opposed this.
The project was earlier due to be implemented from September 15, but following Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s intervention after BJP backed councilors allied with some ruling corporators to oppose it, the plan was put on hold.
The eight-member core committee headed by Panjim Mayor Surendra Furtado to draft modalities for implementation of the project in 18 identified areas that met on Monday, failed to resolve the issue. While the Mayor proposed that pay parking be implemented starting from IFFI on a trial basis, the members did not agree to the proposal on the ground that without chalking out proper modalities and logistics for the project, it cannot be implemented.
Sources said that the ruling panel members in the committee “in principle” agreed for going ahead with the project starting from IFFI, with minor conditions, but the opposition members were firm that this cannot be done, with just a fortnight left for the festival to kick-off.
Furtado said that ‘no decision has been taken as yet… the final decision would be out in next two-three days’.
When contacted, opposition councillor and core committee member Vaidehi Naik confirmed that the committee members discussed launching of the pay parking project and that it was objected to by opposition members as no modalities or infrastructure are in place.
“Just a fortnight is left for the film festival and CCP has no proper plan for pay-parking. It will take time,” she said.
The other committee members include Shubam Chodankar, Shubhada Dhond, Shekhar Degvekar, Kabir Makhija, Yatin Parekh and Eddie George. The district collector through a notification on August 18 had announced the implementation of pay parking in the city from September 15, which was later postponed to September 19.
