Team Herald
MARGAO: Taking serious note of the traffic congestion in the commercial capital, the Road Safety and Traffic Management Committee of the Margao Municipality has resolved to draw up proper plans,and consider implementing pay parking to address the town’s traffic problem.
At the meeting headed by MMC Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar it was concluded that traffic regulation is more than just issuing challans to violators.
Issues such as the congestion at the old bus stand, abandoned vehicles taking up pavement space and causing hardships to road-users, installation of CCTV cameras, etc were discussed. It was also resolved to call a meeting with the managements of all schools or the Parent-Teachers Associations of the schools located in the jurisdiction of the civic body to discuss the issue.
Jose Maria Miranda, a citizen of Margao, emphasised on building a parking lot at the two places earmarked for the purpose; behind the MMC building and old wholesale fish market, to de-congest traffic in Margao. After hearing from the citizens, Gautam Salunke, Police Inspector, Traffic Cell-Margao, urged the civic body to start with pay parking at the earliest, at the areas owned by Municipality. “We had identified nearly 100 abandoned vehicles on the roadside at different locations, and managed to remove 50. The owners of the remaining vehicles are not responding to our notices,” said Salunke. He said that the traffic cell in Margao is functioning with not even 25 percent of the staff sanctioned.“Deploying traffic police at every school during peak hours is not possible,” he explained.
An MMC official informed the members that they have moved a proposal with the South Goa Member of Parliament regarding the installation of CCTV cameras in the city.
