All is not well with the much-hyped and much talked about pay parking system in the capital city. Introduced just two months back, the concept, to bring vehicular discipline is now turned out to be a major alleged scam.
Marred with controversies right from its introduction, the pay parking introduced by the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) is likely to witness a setback with the contractor not willing to continue with the contract, following allegations of scam.
CCP, in May, introduced pay parking system in 18 designated spots in the city. Margao-based Straight Deal Service was awarded the contract at a cost of Rs 63 lakhs per annum. The two wheelers have to shell out Rs four for the first four hours, Rs 8 for parking for four to 12 hours and Rs 15 above 12 hours. For four wheelers, Rs 10 is been charged for less than four hours, Rs 15 between four to 12 hours parking and Rs 20 for parking above 12 hours.
However, the Corporation observed that the Contractor has failed to make payments of Rs 10 lakhs as security deposit into the corporation’s bank account. Not just this, but the Contractor has not paid a single penny to CCP of the amount it has collected through pay parking. CCP has suffered a huge loss, as it was expecting revenue generated through the pay and park system.
“The contractor has not signed any agreement with the corporation till date. He was the same contractor shortlisted by the former council. In last two months we have not got a single rupee,” Mayor Surendra Furtado said informing that an internal inquiry has already commenced to ascertain the exact loss and the people involved in the illegality.
Straight Deal Services was selected by former mayor Shubham Chodankar to collect parking fees at the designated pay-parking sites. The agent was supposed to pay CCP Rs 63,01,000 per year as per the contract.
The council prima facie alleged involvement of CCP clerk in the entire scam, which runs into lakhs of rupees. Commissioner Deepak Desai assured action as inquiry is already underway.
