TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji’s (CCP) Rs 800 crore city mobility plan envisaging a tram service, a monorail alignment connecting the Kadamba bus stand via Bhatlem to the PWD garage plot and multi-storied parking spaces, which has been hanging in mid air for at least seven years, is set to be revised.
The plan calls for, which have central roads being made into one-way and having parking on both sides compromising the free movement of traffic, introduction of high parking fees in the “central areas and lower fees in peripheral areas.” It also calls for “disincentive parking in the central areas and decentralising parking to peripheral areas, combined with public access to good public transport connectivity to central areas.”
“We have to get it moving; estimates have to be revised,” CCP Mayor, Surendra Furtado told Herald.
“We had a meeting with Spanish consultants, engineers. I have also asked them for a plan of the beautification from Dona Paula till Miramar, including the Caranzalem, garden, road beautification. The deadline given to them is 15 days,” the mayor said.
The mobility plan pushing for pedestrian pathways, says that several buildings in central Panjim are arcaded and “hence provide shaded pathways for the movement of pedestrians.” However, admits that pathways and footpaths are uneven and irregular, and lack proper infrastructure for crossing roads like footbridges, traffic lights, zebra crossings, etc; disorganised traffic and pedestrian network at jetties and Kadamba bus stand; and lack of pedestrian crossings at major intersections and institutional areas.
It recommends using water networks, ferries, and points out that there is a proposal for a cruise terminal near Fort Aguada, with the water transport to be regulated by the Panjim port (a feasibility report has been prepared).
“It could be developed on a PPP mode with related services, connectivity and infrastructure in this belt, to relieve the traffic congestion,” says the plan.
Commenting on accidents, the plan points out to “large number of motor vehicles on the road and the heterogeneous class of vehicles sharing the same road space, that have vast speed differentials, are responsible for increased accident rate,” and categorises reasons for these accidents as human error ~ about 90 per cent, roads ~ 5 per cent, vehicles ~ 4 per cent and environment ~ 1 per cent.
The plan speaks about traffic management, accidents in the city, public transport system, road and water network, parking facilities, pedestrian convenience, heritage areas, institutional buildings, fishing villages, city slopes, improvement of Patto complex, air quality in the city, city road network; road pattern, structure, length and distribution; bridges; intersections; public transport; pedestrian networks; and parking.
As for parking problem, the plan says that parking is allowed free of cost in Panjim especially in the central commercial areas and that “central business district area of Panjim” attracts a large amount of traffic, especially during peak hours and the demand for parking spaces is the highest in the city.
The deadline for utilization of funds for the projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is March 2014.
We had a meeting with Spanish consultants, engineers. I have also asked them for a plan of the beautification from Dona Paula till Miramar, including the Caranzalem, garden, road beautification. The deadline given to them is 15 days
