The rickshaw and motorcycle pilots at Saligao still wait for a stand even after the District Magistrate’s notification more than a year ago
Rickshaw and motorcycle operators are yet to get a stand at Saligao, despite a notification by the North Goa district magistrate last year.
The district magistrate had issued a notification on July 13, 2012, directing the Saligao Panchayat to notify an open space for rickshaws and motorcycles. Welcoming the notification, the owners had expected the local body to immediately act in the matter.
“We have been impressing upon the panchayat to provide an open space to park our vehicles and undertake our profession. Former sarpanch, Bholanath Ghadi Sakhalkar, had even identified a site, but thereafter nothing transpired and today, we do not have a proper stand, either for motorcycle taxis or auto-rickshaws,” said an aggrieved motorcycle pilot.
“In the absence of a stand, we have to search for space to park our vehicles as other vehicles are parked in front of the panchayat premises. We have taken up the matter with the Saligao sarpanch time and again, besides apprising Saligao MLA Dilip Parulekar about our plight.”
“The Saligao sarpanch keeps telling us that he will ‘look into the matter,’ but till date nothing has happened and we are still without a space,” added the owner.
When contacted, Saligao Sarpanch Eknath Oraskar repeated his assurance to “look into the matter.”
“We will provide them space once the beautification of the area near Saligao Panchayat premises is ready,” Oraskar said.
When reminded about the district magistrate’s notification of July 2012, Oraskar said the beautification process in the panchayat premises is underway.
“When the structure is ready and everything is put in place, I will provide space for the auto-rickshaw stand and motorcycle taxi stand,” assured Oraskar.
