Dhiraj Harmalkar
dhiraj@herald-goa.com
VASCO: More than 20 months have passed since the multi-level car parking facility at the International Airport at Dabolim was inaugurated but the project is yet to begin functioning.
It may be recalled that Rs 50 crore had been spent for the three-storey parking facility in December 2017. Recently, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials had claimed that the same would have been operational by July 2019 but the situation is as it is and parking woes continue to plague the airport area.
From rent-a-cab, to private taxis and other vehicles, it is a nightmare for commuters given the haphazard parking all around. Further, there have been many complaints about how taxis limit the space outside the airport terminal when vehicles are allowed to stop there for only five minutes failing which they face a fine. Against this backdrop, the parking facility was meant to alleviate the prevailing scenario, given that it is expected to cater to 400 cars.
Back in 2017, at the time of the inauguration, AAI sources had said that ‘only some sort of finishing work was not yet completed. ’
Fast forward to mid 2019, when Dabolim Airport Director, Gagan Malik had been contacted to find out when the facility would be operational. At that time, he had stated that the multi-level facility would be operational for parking by July 2019.
Now, when asked about the delay, the director said, “Once we get the contractor to manage the parking facility, the space will be open for parking purpose. Presently the process of commercial bidding has started” Malik added.
However he was unavailable for comments as to why there had been such a long delay.
Sources revealed that once the pay-parking facility is operational, there are plans to mark certain areas outside the airport as no parking zone. The multi-level building will have pay parking for private vehicles and the basement will be dedicated for motorcycles.
