The capital city’s first multi-storey pay parking facility that missed its completion deadline in the last one year owing to lack of funds and other reasons is finally expected to be thrown open next month.
The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) project at the entrance to the city had promised to help ease vehicular traffic, especially of those coming to the yet-to-be-completed Santa Monica jetty. The dream of smooth traffic and pay parking was, however, held up for nearly a year raising speculation over its completion.
The corporation now has committed to inaugurate the facility tentatively by May 7. “The work is almost complete. A final survey will be carried out in the next few days and we are also trying to seek an appointment date from Defence Minister (Manohar Parrikar) to inaugurate the building,” GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral told Herald assuring this won’t be another missed deadline.
As per records, the project was initially meant to be completed in April 2015 but met with several hurdles including financial ones, resulting into delays followed by more delays. With the work lying idle for several months, the structure had also developed minor cracks raising concerns. Cabral allayed apprehensions that the structure had weakened stating the cracks were merely superficial. The chipping and re-plastering was thereafter done.
Last year the contractors Venkatrao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd had stopped work on the building demanding that their pending bills worth Rs 10 crore be cleared. In a conversation with Herald then, Cabral had, however, stated the contractors had agreed to finish the work based on an assurance to pay a part of their outstanding amount.
The building is set to accommodate 85 cars per floor, with a capacity of 455 cars. It comprises of a ground floor, three levels and an open space besides a ramp to ascend to each level with two passenger lifts and a toilet facility.
Once the facility is put to use, another question follows on whether the permissions for the Hop-On-Hop-Off buses will be granted. GTDC had related this transport system to the current project stating it would not only take tourists for a tour of the city at a certain cost, but would also help ferry into the city vehicle users who park their cars at the multi-level parking facility free of cost. “The drivers will have to show the parking ticket to avail free service,” an official had said.
