s monsoons have hit the State, commuters are giving away their two-wheelers and switching over to four-wheelers to reach their destinations. The number of four-wheelers undoubtedly increases during the monsoons, filling up the already congested roads and crunched parking spaces. The issue of parking is getting worst day-by-day.
Panjim city, the State’s capital, has gained notoriety for lack of parking space while the number of floating vehicles entering the city is increasing every year.
DB Bandodkar road, 18 June Road, and many such lanes hardly have any parking spaces available. The existence of entry points for off-shore casinos has fuelled the issue further as it has also largely contributed to illegal parking.
During the day, the office-going crowd and the usual visitors ensure the road is frequently occupied. Later in the evening, one can see hundreds of vehicles looking out for available parking space, if any.
Considering that the amount of vehicles of casino staff and customers are multiplying, the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) finally decided to step-in asking the casinos to use the multi-storey parking from next month or face penal action.
“From 9 am till the late hours, parking spaces are full. There are many vehicles, which continue to remain parked for several hours giving an additional burden to the parking woes,” said Sonia, a court staff member, who finds it difficult to find parking in the capital city.
“The failure to create parking space is one factor. In addition, failing to implement pay-parking, leniency towards double parking, allowing vehicles in a no-parking zone among other issues, have encouraged the traffic violators to escape from the eyes of the law,” she alleged.
State’s commercial capital Margao has been expanding on its periphery including Navelim, Borda, Fatorda and other areas. But here also parking is the major issue.
Except for the Arlem by-pass, which has a considerable setback, there is not much parking space available for Margao residents. The area around the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) in the heart of the town gets chocked in no time. This leads to people parking their vehicles in areas that are not allowed or they have one person sitting in the vehicle, which is stationary on the road, irrespective of there being laws preventing the same and that this reduces the passage width of the roads.
“Margao’s ambitious parking project has been buried in the files. The earlier process for this project was struck down. The new process will be initiated, but till then, the people driving their vehicles around the city spend most of their time searching for a place to their park,” one of the MMC councilors told Herald.
Mapusa town has its limited jurisdiction and parking woes. The newly elected MLA Joshua D’Souza, said the construction of a new bus stand will solve the parking problems. What’s significant is that while Mapusa has grown manifold since liberation, there is no corresponding growth in parking spaces. The number of vehicles has also gone up exponentially. People arriving at Friday market in Mapusa, which is already a congested place, often hunt for parking space. The inner lanes of the city are also overcrowded with locals and businessmen making arrangements to mark their own parking spaces.
Elsewhere, Ponda is also plagued with parking woes as it has no parking within the city, forcing commuters to look for parking opportunities in the outskirts.
Ponda is one of the smallest towns, which has been concentrated between traditional old bus stand and Upper Bazaar area.
Both – Farmagudi-Dhavali and Kurti-Borim – bypasses have failed to turn into business zones. Except for the interstate transporters, the business in the city is restricted only to the traditional areas.
The smaller cities like Sankhalim, Sanvordem-Curchorem, Canacona, Pernem, Bicholim have inherited parking woes and there is no master plan to ease the situation there. While parking has been given the least priority in governance, the people continue to suffer.
Roland Martins, co-ordinator of Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network – GOACAN, pointed out that it’s the failure of the government to resolve this crisis, which has been getting worst day-by-day. “It’s a failure of the government. There is a need to have a policy on parking, which must include paid and non-paid formats,” he said.
“The parking requirements of each municipal council and village panchayat need to be assessed during peak and non-peak tourism seasons. This again has to be for two and four-wheelers, so that space can be planned and revenue can be collected,” he added.
With there being several instances wherein parking slots in the buildings have been converted into commercial spaces, the forum has suggested that the Town and Country Planning Department (TCP) examine all such cases for stringent action. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Dharmesh Angle, has backed the pay parking policy – a move that would help decongest the cities and towns to a larger extent.
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Govt needs a solution for traffic congestion spots
* The ambitious parking project of State’s commercial capital Margao’s has been buried in the files. The process that initiated for the earlier pay parking project has been struck down. The new process is yet to be initiated, but till then, the people driving their vehicles around the town have to spend most of their time searching for a place to their park.
* Panjim city, the State’s capital, has gained notoriety for lack of parking space while the number of floating vehicles entering the city is increasing every year. The existence of entry points for offshore casinos has fuelled the issue further as it has also largely contributed to illegal parking.
* As a solution to the traffic menace, The Corporation of City of Panaji is set to re-introduce the scheme of pay-parking on certain lanes.
* Parking demarcated areas in Vasco have been encroached by the hawkers and vendors. The present parking issue under Mormugao Municipal Jurisdiction has gone for a toss.
* The city also attracts a lot of visitors on a daily basis given its status as the headquarters of the taluka. Due to this, residents find it difficult to park their vehicles and finally end up parking by along the roadside leading to traffic congestion.
* Being the headquarters of the taluka, Ponda gets a lot of visitors to the town. From schools to the markets to government offices, there is hardly any parking available. The Sub District Hospital and the Ponda Government Buildings are the only ones, who have basement parking facilities which are also used largely by the staff members leaving very little area for the general public to park.
* Mapusa has grown manifold since liberation but there is no growth in the parking places. The number of vehicles has also gone up exponentially. People arriving at Friday market in Mapusa, which is already a congested place, often hunt for parking space.
