Parking in the city is a major problem, nobody can deny. And the city fathers – who are responsible for parking albeit backed by the police –have not been able to sort out the issue. As the number of vehicles keeps on increasing, locals and people who come to the city for business are not able to find parking. Even navigation is already very difficult on city roads as vehicles are parked on both sides of the road, especially indiscriminate parking by casino related vehicles on certain main roads in the cities and around hotels that cater to casino clients.
Their rudeness and the utmost confidence of their personnel and the way that their vehicles are parked right in front of no parking roads opposite the citadels of justice– the courts of the capital city – has shown that this particular business thinks that it is indispensable to the government and is literally above the law like the mafia run casinos of yore in the sin city Las Vegas.
This reporter had a personal experience of this arrogance in front of the casino water front recently. Casino bouncers openly threatened to lift the vehicles of journalists parked on the footpath to cover an incident opposite and throw them into the sea.
However the police say that they are doing their job and promise further action. But also point out that this traffic management is the job of the Corporation of the city of Panjim.
“We will be taking a drive for locking and lifting these vehicles. We have a crane on DB Marg because of these casino vehicles,” says Arvind Gawas SP traffic, adding “From next week onwards we have already planned a drive and we will lock these vehicles.CCP is already lifting these vehicles.”
Officials say that in every other city in the world, the CCP takes onus for traffic and parking; and question why it is not happening in Panjim.
The Mayor Surendra Furtado says that to take action he needs support; that till date is lacking.
“I would suggest that multi parking at Patto and some parking at EDFC complex should be there and Casinos should have shuttle service to ferry their staff,” he says. “This would decongest Panjim”, hje added
However on action to be taken he says” “To take action I require support. Till date this has not happened.”
As power of money – as admitted by the chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar himself – is a priority, this is a stark reminder that whichever government is in power, certain businesses will thrive more than others.
