TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: A day after Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar prompted an order deferring the implementation of pay parking in the city, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Tuesday formed an eight-member sub-committee of corporators headed by Mayor Surendra Furtado to draft modalities for implementation of the plan in 18 identified areas.
The Corporation meeting that saw uproarious scenes over the proposed pay-parking plan also discussed about the possibility of exempting locals residing adjacent to street or areas identified for pay parking, by issuing them passes for one two-wheeler and one four-wheeler each.
CCP’s ordinary meeting held Tuesday evening also saw allegations from both opposition as well as ruling benches who claimed they were bypassed when pay parking rates were decided. They also alleged that the civic body was trying to impose pay-parking on the residents without chalking out proper modalities.
“No one is objecting to pay-parking. But it should be done systematically and not in a hurry,” Opposition councilor Vaidehi Naik said. Naik along with fellow BJP-backed corporators had submitted a petition to the Chief Minister demanding withdrawal of proposal.
Naik was supported by ruling corporator Yatin Parekh, who said that the council was bypassed while deciding the rates for pay parking, despite the fact that the same were finalized on February 17, much before the notification by the district collector. “I am also not against pay-parking, but proper modalities should be followed,” he said.
CCP had proposed to charge Rs 4 and 10 for first four hours, Rs 8 to Rs 15 for four to 12 hours and Rs 10 and Rs 20 for vehicles parking for over 12 hours.
The corporators also accused the Mayor of taking the decision in a hurry without consulting corporators. “You never walk on road…you travel in car…what will you know of pay-parking,” councilor Tony Rodrigues quipped.
“The committee will discuss in detail as how to go ahead with the proposal. Other members too can submit their suggestions,” Rodrigues said.
No parking opp Caculo Mall
PANJIM: The CCP on Tuesday announced a “No Parking” zone opposite Caculo mall – the road facing the Directorate of Fire and Emergency headquarters. There were complaints from residents of St Inez and the corporators that motor vehicles have been increasing ever since the mall commenced its operations.
Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues has called for installing temporary signages of ‘No Parking’ opposite the mall and the road towards Tonca (facing government quarters). He said that a proposal to declare the area as no parking has already been moved to Deputy Superintendent of Police Dharmesh Angle five months back. “We are waiting for their nod,” he said.
The issue was raised by local corporator Shweta Lotlikar, who said that for past two years she has been raising the issue about the inconvenience faced by public due to large inflow of traffic near the mall every day.
CCP for redrafting DPR for St Inez creek
PANJIM: The St Inez creek cleaning project is likely to drag further, with Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) resolving to ask the Goa State Infrastructural Development Corporation (GSIDC), the implementing agency for project, to redraft a detailed project report (DPR) for re-sanctioning under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
The decision was taken after GSIDC raised objections to the DPR drafted by the Corporation, based on which Rs 19 crore were sanctioned by Union Urban Development Ministry under JNNURM.
“As per the rough proposal drafted by GSIDC, the estimated cost of the project will come to around Rs 70 crore,” CCP commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues told councilors. He said that GSIDC has proposed to construct the creek wall using concrete rather then laetrile stone and to demolish the creek mouth (near Inox) to ascertain the depth for de-silting.
Lease agreement for
market occupants
In yet another decision, the CCP has set a one-month deadline for legal occupants of city municipal market to sign the lease deed agreement with the corporation, failing which they would be declared as illegal occupants. The lease agreement will be signed for a period of three years with rent charges of Rs 256 per sq m as approved by Public Works Department.
Halt boating operations
The commissioner said that he would direct the CCP staff to immediately halt the boating operations from the beach adjacent to Bhagawan Mahavir Garden at Campal.
