Legislators have raised the issue of abandoned vehicles lying on the streets, terming it a security concern, but there is little that has been done to clear the dusty, dirty, corroded two-wheelers and four-wheelers that can be found on the streets of the capital city.
They stand unattended, gathering dust and rust for months and years, unguarded and unwanted, in public places, like opposite the Panjim police station, the bus stand, at various parking lots, making them a security nightmare in a tourist State. In the past, there have been times when the authorities have clamped down on such neglected vehicles, but in recent times little is being done to clear the streets of them.
A quick tour of the city, gives you a clear picture that there are hundreds of corroded immobile vehicles left abandoned at various locations, with the authorities turning a blind eye to them. Many of the vehicles, especially those that can be seen opposite the Panjim police station, were seized for various violations and were never claimed by their owners. Apart from this, there are other vehicles, involved in major accidents, which have remained abandoned with the owners never returning to claim them.
The issue has been taken up in the State Legislative Assembly and seen many heated debates, with legislators even raising security concerns over the presence of such vehicles.
Following former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s directions in 2013, the authorities had initiated a process to auction these unclaimed vehicles, but the slow process received a meager response.
“We had issued advertisements in the newspapers for auction of unclaimed vehicles. But it did not receive a good response. Also the process to clamp on such vehicles is very slow,” a senior member attached with government said.
First the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), and then the Panjim Traffic Cell of Goa police, initiated a drive to tow away corroded immobile vehicles from the city. The vehicles were lifted and dumped at the government-owned Bainguinim garbage plot and were later disposed off by the Corporation.
DySP Dharmesh Angle said that the Traffic Cell has been directed to carry out a fresh survey of vehicles – two-wheelers, four-wheelers and heavy vehicles – lying across the State and accordingly issue summons to the owner of the vehicles.
“We give them chance to respond. If within the time limit we don’t receive any response then the vehicle is lifted and disposed off,” he said. Angle said that a majority of the abandoned vehicles involve two-wheelers in Panjim city.
These vehicles undoubtedly occupy space meant for parking, thus affecting the parking management in Panjim. The capital city is currently haunted with parking problem, with authorities finding it difficult to resolve the parking crisis. Clearing the streets of these abandoned vehicles would free up some space for parking.
