Team Herald
MARGAO: The multilevel pay parking project in Margao appears to be nothing more than a distant dream, with perpetual parking shortage in the commercial town still unresolved. The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) is now considering a hydraulic multi-level pay parking facility, despite the fact that earlier efforts to find contractors for a conventional parking structure have failed.
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Citizens have strongly criticised the Council for its inability to address the ever-growing parking problem. Many argue that, despite having sufficient land to establish a multi-level parking facility, the Council has failed to make meaningful progress.
Sources reveal that no bidders responded to the tender issued by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) for a multi-level parking project behind the municipal building, a site that had already been identified for the purpose. GSUDA has informed the civic body about the lack of contractor interest and is now awaiting a new proposal, leading the Council to consider the possibility of a hydraulic parking system.
The project dates back to 2009, when a proposal to create a parking facility with GSUDA funds was initiated. Joaquim Alemao, the then Urban Development Minister, had promised funding for the project. However, according to former Chairperson Savio Coutinho, political instability resulted in the funds being blocked. GSUDA later informed the Council that it would not be able to directly provide funds. Instead, the agency offered to take over the project if the Council agreed.
Coutinho stated that the Council passed a resolution to hand over the land for the parking facility to GSUDA, demonstrating a willingness to cooperate. Despite this, GSUDA ultimately denied the funds, stalling the project.
He further expressed concerns that the lack of contractor interest in the current project may be part of a deliberate effort to sabotage it. Coutinho suspects that proposals to include a restaurant at the site may have caused resistance, adding another layer of complexity to the issue.
A group of concerned citizens has urged councillors to thoroughly assess the feasibility of a hydraulic parking system, especially if it is to be managed by the Margao Municipal Council.
Coutinho warned that a hydraulic parking system would require significant maintenance and could eventually become a “white elephant.” He cited the Council’s poor track record in maintaining municipal vehicles equipped with hydraulic systems, such as trucks and JCBs, many of which have been out of service for months due to breakdowns.
Radha Kavlekar, a local leader, echoed these concerns, arguing that while a private company might successfully manage such a facility, it would be reckless for a government agency to undertake the task. “Hydraulic systems are expensive to maintain, and failure to do so could result in the facility being abandoned, leading to further expenditure to dismantle it,” she noted.
Citizens fear that the hydraulic parking facility, if managed by the Council, would fail and eventually become an additional financial burden for taxpayers.
However, the current Chairperson of the Council, Damodar Shirodkar, remains optimistic. “We will be discussing this issue at the next council meeting,” he said, expressing hope that a hydraulic system could help resolve the town’s parking woes despite the numerous challenges involved.
