ANIL SHANKHWALKER
MAPUSA
Over the last ten years, Mapusa’s population and business activities have grown sizably. This growth, coupled with the town’s improper planning, has led to many problems. Lack of vehicle parking spaces and traffic congestion are two of the major ones plaguing the town.
The number of motor vehicles has increased greatly in Mapusa in recent years. Every month, around 1200 to 1400 vehicles are registered with the Mapusa RTO. It is evident from these figures that this rate of growth is unsustainable. If it continues, the problem of traffic congestion is bound to become acute. Urgent steps need to be taken to curb it; otherwise, Mapusa’s congested roads will get completely clogged in the years to come.
Chairperson of the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC), Roopa Bhakta, stated that the MMC was besieged by the town’s parking and traffic problems. “The roads are dug at various places in Mapusa for laying sewage pipelines. Since the municipal elections are around the corner, all the councillors are busy completing the pending work in their respective constituencies. The work of new Kadamba Bus stand has just begun .Once it comes into existence, MMC will be able to take firm decision about the town’s parking problem.”
Traffic Inspector of Mapusa Traffic Cell, Roy Pereira, stated that the problems were caused mainly by a number of important buildings being placed in a small area – the fish market, Mapusa market, mamlatdar, dy collector’s office, police station, Kadamba bus stand, and Mapusa sub-yard fell in a 500-metre radius.
“If proper planning was used to decentralize government offices from the beginning, the problems would have been reduced substantially,” said Pereira. “The new Kadamba bus stand will take two years to come into existence. Until then, some action needs to be taken to solve these parking and traffic problems. There is enough space at the back of the subyard to park vehicles. If a small road is constructed connecting the highway near HP petrol pump to the subyard, vehicles coming from Calangute and Panjim can utilize it to go to the municipal market.”
He also said that the MMC should have created a pay-parking facility at the basement of the new fish market – similar to the one at the Panjim municipal market. He also felt stilt parking should be made compulsory for residential complexes. The only requirements were vision and prudence on the part of planners.
Deputy Chief Minister, Francis D’souza added that the work of filling and levelling of 20000 sq metres of land for new Kadamba bus stand had already been tendered and the work had begun, and it would be completed within a month. The construction of the bus stand, however, as still needed approval from the PDA. Once it was completed, the old bus stand would serve as a parking lot.
