The haphazard parking of vehicles around the Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) headquarters at St Inez still continues to an extent despite the area being designated a ‘No Parking’ zone. Fire tenders that have to rush out on emergency calls and residents of the area complain of traffic congestion due to parking.
The parking problem started after the Caculo Mall opened just opposite the F&ES headquarters, leading to congestion in the area. Speaking to Herald, Manoj Caculo Chairman and MD of Caculo Mall said they have approximately parking slots for about 50 to 60 cars in the basement and in front of the mall. “When these spots get filled, especially on weekends, people park on the roads and on the opposite side. Two years back we had written to the chief secretary and through them to the fire services asking them to allow us to use the empty ground as parking on weekends. We were agreeable even to pave it, so that it can be made into proper parking at our cost.” The proposal got no response.
The chaotic parking grew during the weekends and the evening hours, when the number of shoppers increased, residents of the area pointed out. The peak evening hours saw the heaviest traffic congestion in the area.
“People park their vehicles in the no parking areas and especially four-wheelers are menace there. They park along the entire road stretch where the government buildings are located. One car stops in the middle of the road and there is traffic chaos,” Shraddha Naik, a St Inez resident said.
Following repeated complaints from residents who were backed by the local councillors, two months back, the Corporation of the City of Panaji resolved to demarcate parking areas. The decision taken was to allow parking on only one side of the road and not on both sides of the road around the mall.
“There were a lot of requests from the residents who said they cannot enter their buildings because of the congestion. Being a junction, parking on both sides would result in obstruction. The CCP then resolved to make it no parking,” Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues told Herald.
“We were surprised that around a month and half back, they notified no parking from Vivanta junction till the PWD garage on both sides of the road. From Living Room junction till Campal, again on both sides of the road no parking. Also immediately no parking boards were put up specifically in areas opposite the mall. They have only implemented it where it directly affects the mall. After that we met the deputy chief minister personally with a representation,” Caculo said.
The implementation, following a notification from the district collector, has largely eased traffic congestion in the area, especially on the weekends, when the rush of shoppers at the mall multiplies. Despite the demarcation of areas for parking, some individuals continue parking their vehicles outside the designated parking area, leading to a fine.
The traffic department has been enforcing the notification and has fined a sizeable number of violators. “We are not disturbing the vehicles parked in the parking areas. The parking was such that it troubled not only the residents but also other commuters and especially the Fire services, which was the first to complain to us,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Dharmesh Angle said. He stressed that parking on the junction is not allowed.
But regular shoppers of the mall are not happy. Dinesh Chari who frequents the mall often said few people opt for the basement parking facility. ‘There is no proper management. People want to park outside the mall and if there is no space, will park in the no parking zones. They don’t want to take their car in the basement though there are spaces vacant,” he complained.
Caculo also complained of persons who were not police chaining vehicles and collecting Rs 400. “When we asked then who they were they told us they were from the CCP. When we took this up with CCP officials, then immediately all this withdrawn within ten minutes,” Caculo said.
While the fine for ‘no parking’, is Rs 100, an additional Rs 100 is charged if the vehicle parked is obstructing traffic. Angle said the fine amount increases depending on the other violations like not carrying the driving license and vehicle documents.
