the goan I network
MARGAO
The PWD, Div XI Executive Engineer has also told the Deputy Collector, in-charge of the demolition squad, Ajit Panchwadkar that a consultant will have to be engaged by the requisitioning department, South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) to plan and advice on the safe demolition work.
The PWD has written to the demolition squad after the deputy collector had asked the executive engineer to provide a demolition squad consisting of 10 labourers along with one JCB breaker machine with operator, truck, tools and other equipments to raze down the RCC structure. However, the PWD executive engineer has pointed out that the proposed demolition is of a three-storied RCC structure and the demolition procedure has to be properly planned to avoid untoward incident and loss of life.
Given the situation, sources in the district Collectorate, South pointed out that the planned demolition hangs in balance and the SGPDA will be informed of the situation in the PWD’s insistence that it has no requisite expertise, manpower and machinery to raze down a ground plus two-storied building.
The SGPDA had on April 7 moved the Deputy Collector, Margao with a request to arrange the demolition squad for demolition of the illegal development carried out by Shaikh Abdul Azzem, Dream House, Chandrawado-Fatorda.
As per the SGPDA report, the construction comprises of a ground floor, first and second floor with RCC
frame structure with laterite masonry walls duly plastered on all sides.
After Panaji, pay-parking in Margao?
the goan I network
MARGAO
Will the commercial capital emulate the example set by the capital city and introduce pay-parking on the city roads? Or, will the new Margao Municipal Council (MMC) allow the traffic department’s pay parking proposal to gather dust in the dusty records of the civic body like its predecessor?
Indeed, Traffic department’s ambitious plan to introduce pay-parking for four-wheelers on the city’s 15 spots to regulate and prevent haphazard parking has been gathering dust in the Margao civic body since the last one year. The previous council had cold shouldered the pay-parking proposal on grounds that the concept will in no way add to an inch of space. That’s not all. The parking proposal had hit a road block after the previous body contended that parking fees can be levied on vehicles only after the construction of parking lots.
The stand adopted by the previous body was understandable since the Traffic department’s proposal had come at a time when the councillors were busy preparing themselves for the Municipal poll and were in no mood to antagonize the citizen with parking fees.
Incidentally, when The Goan called up MMC chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai to find out what’s her take on the pay-parking proposal introduced by the CCP, she pointed out that she is open in implementing the proposal in the commercial capital as well. “When I came to know of CCP’s pay-parking proposal, I wanted to find out the name of the agency engaged by the Corporation for collecting of the parking fees. I am very much open for pay-parking in the commercial capital, but only after the damaged and excavated roads are restored in their original condition,” Babita said.
The MMC chairperson feigned ignorance on the Traffic department’s proposal made to the civic body to introduce pay-parking in the city. “After I assumed office, no one has drawn my attention to the Traffic department’s proposal nor has the traffic officials submitted any proposal to the new civic body. But, I am quite open to have pay-parking in the city,” Babita told The Goan.
When The Goan called up DySP Traffic, Prabodh Shirwaikar to shed light on the fate of the pay-parking proposal in the commercial capital, he said the proposal is stuck at the door step of the Margao civic body. “After the proposal was first made to the civic body, the Traffic department had sent a reminder to the City Fathers to take a call, but in vain. I will find out from the Traffic PI Mohan Gawde, whether any fresh reminder has been sent to the civic body or not,” DySP Shirwaikar said.
The Margao Traffic Cell had proposed introduction of pay-parking at 15 places in the heart of the city, mostly used for four-wheeler parking. Surprisingly, the proposal did not contain any suggestion to levy parking fees on two-wheelers. It may be recalled that MMC’s pay-parking proposal had to be abandoned midway over a decade ago following protests by the citizens under the banner of Goa Pradesh Youth Congress after the youth Congress activists drove a motorcycle in the chamber of then Municipal chairperson Kamlini Painginkar to register its protest against the move.
