Civic authorities fail to act against illegalities in Mapusa market

THE GOAN NETWORK

MAPUSA

Civic authorities in Mapusa appear to be turning a blind eye to various illegal practices that are going on in around the Mapusa market, much to the detriment of the consumers and pedestrians who frequent the marketplace.

Encroachments by vendors and shopkeepers, unauthorized parking or even two-wheeler riders zooming up and down the market lanes cause a lot of problems to people entering or leaving the market.

A month before the announcement of the assembly elections, the chief officer of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) had warned shopkeepers to desist from displaying goods on footpaths to ensure free movement of consumers around the market.

But with the election code of conduct coming into play, the warning was quietly forgotten and the shopkeepers continued displaying goods on footpaths.

One of the most common problems facing the shoppers is the nuisance posed by the two-wheeler riders. These riders zip around the busy market lanes honking and cutting through the lanes causing much hardship to customers, particularly the senior citizens.

Most customers are not able to move freely and shop around having to constantly worry about vehicles coming in their way.

“As it is, the market is crowded on any given day, which makes it difficult to make your way through the lanes. To add to this, the two-wheeler riders get their vehicles straight into the market lanes. There seem to be no municipal authority to stop the vehicle riders from entering the market,” complained Sunil Sawant, a resident from Mapusa.

Many other customers expressed similar sentiments and expected the civic officials to take stringent measures to reduce such infringement of their rights to move around freely in the market.

MMC Chairperson Sandeep Falari said that some steps were taken by the council to make the market a better place for the shoppers.

“We have put gates at the two extreme entry points of the market to avoid unauthorized vehicles to gain entry. But despite it, some people manage to enter into the market and create nuisance,” Falari said.

He said that there was a necessity to keep a constant vigil in the marketplace something which would be very difficult to do.

A few months back, some councilors had raised the issue of irregularities in the market at a council meeting. The councilors had urged the chairperson to take urgent steps to rectify the wrongdoings in the market.

The council had also passed some resolutions to decongest the market and a few streets in Mapusa from irregular parking. It was decided to convert some of the lanes in the market into pay-parking zones.

“More than half of the council staff was involved in the recent assembly election work. Some of them have returned. We will try to implement all our decisions to streamline the town,” the chairperson said.