MAPUSA
Abandoned vehicles have become a problem in Mapusa even as the authorities have a task at hand to tackle the issue.
Old and rusted vehicles can be seen parked across the town. Some of these vehicles covered with dust give a shabby look to the town.
Many of these vehicles are parked by the side of the road thereby depriving parking space to motorists. Besides blocking smooth movement of traffic, the abandoned vehicles also obstruct movement of pedestrians.
The traffic cell of Mapusa has identified nearly 50 such abandoned vehicles which are parked at various places in the jurisdiction of Mapusa municipality.
The Mapusa Traffic Cell Police Inspector (PI) Marlon D’Souza admitted that the abandoned vehicles deprive parking space and at times even create problems for smooth movement of traffic.
“The traffic cell recently carried out a survey in the Mapusa municipal jurisdiction and found nearly 50 abandoned vehicles at various places. We have also started identifying the owners of these vehicles and requested them to remove the vehicles,” D’Souza said.
“Around 15 to 18 vehicle owners have removed the vehicles on our request. There are another 30 to 35 vehicles where the owners are yet to be traced,” he added.
He further said that the process was on to identify these owners and request them to remove the vehicles.
“If they do not remove the vehicles we will send call letters to them,” he said.
For decades, the authorities have done nothing about the junked vehicles parked across the town.
The Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has failed to apply its mind to the problem and has hardly made any attempt to clear such abandoned vehicles within its jurisdiction.
In fact, some of the city fathers had raised the issue of nuisance created by such abandoned vehicles at a council meeting some six months back.
But besides the rhetoric nothing materialised on the ground level.
The Traffic Cell PI has now started a drive to clear the abandoned vehicles but is facing a problem as they have no place to park the vehicles they confiscate.
Secondly, Mapusa Police does not have a crane or a towing vehicle which is crucial to remove such vehicles.
In the past, the traffic police were using the towing vehicle of the Mapusa civic body which has since broken down.
The biggest problem, however, is finding a place to dump such abandoned vehicles.
“We have asked the MMC to identify an open place which is also secured so that all the abandoned vehicles can be parked in one place,” the traffic PI informed.
MMC Vice-Chairman, Viraj Phadke informed that the council had suggested a spot near the garbage treatment plant in Cunchelim.
“We have an open space near the treatment plant which can be used to store these vehicles. But the area can accommodate only 15 to 20 vehicles,” Phadke said.
