PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has asked the Chief Officer of the Mapusa Municipal Council to ‘assist’ the court with “all details including, details about the funds generated by the Council from the Mapusa Market during the last year”.
The High Court’s directions came after the Mapusa Municipal Council informed the Court that “the Mapusa Municipal Council does not have sufficient funds” to undertake the construction of a footpath along the road that runs from the Mapusa Court to the Asilo District Hospital at Peddem.
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by an NGO which had sought that in public interest, the MMC be directed to set up footpaths for pedestrians along the major roads at Mapusa especially those leading to and from the Court Junction.
While the MMC earlier had assured the High Court that it would constructing footpaths and side drains, the Council on Tuesday told the High Court that the state government has declined to grant them the funds on grounds that that this project does not come under the ambit of “Special Grants for Infrastructural Development Scheme” and that only revenue generation projects shall be undertaken under the said grants.
In December 2020 the NGO filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition for appropriate directions to the Mapusa Municipal Council, PWD and other respondents to ensure construction of footpaths along all the main roads of Mapusa town, especially the road between the Mapusa Altinho Circle (clock tower near the Court Complex) and the Mapusa Bus Stand.
The NGO has alleged that the roads experience heavy traffic of all kinds -- buses, trucks, transport vehicles, cars, taxis, two wheelers, cyclists and pedestrians regularly use this road for their daily commute. “The authorities, in dereliction of their duties, have only catered to those with motorized forms of transport, thus neglecting cyclists and pedestrians. No provisions are made for the easy movement of those with disabilities,” the NGO alleged in its petition.
“Across the developed world and even in several Indian cities like Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi, the Municipal Bodies are working towards closing down segments of roads for cars, and making available more space for Non-Motorised Transportation like pedestrian walks, and exclusive cycle tracks,” the NGO said claiming the lack of pedestrian pathways was violative of article 21 of the constitution (Right to Life).
The petition also points out four other stretches of road in Mapusa many of which are leading up to Altinho Junction which they have sought provision for footpaths.
