MARGAO
When city-based politicians, including Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, former BJP MLA Damu Naik, BJP leaders from Margao, and other candidates and independent panels, go to the drawing boards to draft their manifestos for the Margao Municipal Council polls, they all will have to again make a mention of the same old promise “ to make the delayed multi-level parking lot a reality in the commercial capital.
For, it’s now certain that Margao Municipal Council’s ambitious multi-level parking project - the foundation stone for which was laid during in 2015, will not materialize during the current five-year term, ending next month.
Take note, while the project was estimated to cost around Rs 5.5 crore around two years ago, the latest estimates prepared by the civic body have put the project cost to a whopping Rs 7.40 crore.
Blame it on the Goa Scheduled of Rates (GSR), Goods and Services Tax (GST) or simply lethargy of the city fathers or the babus, the civic body could not put the project, which was aimed at resolving the burning parking issue plaguing the commercial capital, in place.
It was in September 2015 that the foundation stone for the parking lot was laid during the tenure of former Chairperson Arthur D’Silva. Five years down the line, only the foundation stone stands tall at a corner of the old fish market, behind the MMC building, which now plays host to baling machines and dry waste.
The current five-year term of the MMC is expected to end next month and it is more than unlikely that the civic body will float the tender. While the MMC has received the revised cost of the project only recently, the file will again go back to the PWD for the technical sanction before the civic body floats the e-tender, inviting bidders for the project.
Neither any city father nor the officials have any idea when the civic body will receive the technical sanction as and when the file is submitted to the PWD for the technical nod. One thing, however, is clear that it takes minimum 23-25 days to complete the process to float and open a tender, indicating that work is unlikely to start in the next one month.
It’s not that the municipality during the current term did not take steps to implement the pay-parking project initiated five years ago. Sources in the know, however, said though the introduction of the GST delayed the project, nothing could have stopped the civic body to take the project to its logical conclusion during the last five years.
“It’s true that the project was tendered and re-tendered by the civic body for want of takers, but civic babus and city fathers cannot push all the blame on the PWD for the delay in giving the necessary sanctions,” sources in the know told The Goan.
Margao is blessed with as many as three open spaces in the heart of the town, including the old fish market, pick-up stand and the old bus stand. At one time or the other over decades, these three spaces were shortlisted by the powers that be to house the multi-storied parking lot, but in vain.
Against this backdrop, hopes were raised amongst Madgavkars when the foundation stone was laid for the multi-level parking lot at the old fish market in September 2015, with a provision to accommodate around 180 cars, besides two-wheelers on land admeasuring close to 5000 square metres.
