Court orders mandating removal of encroachments from city markets; Gaddas need to be cleared from road-widening areas; Civic body's action sought against stationary fast-food stalls
Fast food stalls with heritage touch stand tall 24x7 on the Margao Municipal acquired land opposite the Margao KTC bus stand when they are mandated to be taken back home after business hours.
MARGAO
A host of crucial issues have come back to haunt the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) following its decision to initiate action against vendors selling flowers on the station road near the city markets — chief among them, whether the civic body has effectively implemented the 1997 High Court order directing the removal of encroachments from city markets, passages, and pedestrian footpaths.
Moreover, the MMC now faces another pressing question: has it complied with the High Court’s order dated March 6, 2025, mandating the clearance of gaddas from road-widening areas and open spaces in the commercial capital? The Council may also have to confront yet another contentious issue — what prevents the civic body from taking action against stationary fast-food carts operating at the Margao Old Bus Stand and the parking area opposite the KTC Bus Stand, especially when licence conditions clearly require hawkers to remove their movable gaddas and return them to their residences after business hours.
What has brought the civic body under public and political scrutiny is its proposed action targeting flower vendors on Station Road, while allegedly turning a blind eye to rampant illegalities and encroachments in markets and public spaces — including the notorious Chor Bazar, held every Sunday on the already congested Station Road.
Incidentally, the issue of stationary fast food gaddas at the Margao Municipal parking lot opposite the KTC bus stand was brought to the notice of PWD Minister Digambar Kamat at his first Janata darbar held in the Margao Municipal hall last week. The PWD Minister has requested the citizen Milagres Fernandes to submit a written complaint in order to initiate action against the gaddas.
Fire prone
New Market area
Far from clearing encroachments in the New Market area, the MMC was directed by the Fire Services Department nearly two years ago — after a major fire incident — to ensure that all market entry and exit points remain free of obstructions to allow fire fighters and their equipment easy access.
Since December 2023, successive Chief Officers heading the MMC have reportedly failed to visit the New Market or implement key fire safety measures recommended by the Fire Department. Among the list of recommendations, the department even called for the installation of clear signage inside the market to guide quick evacuation during emergencies — a directive that remains unimplemented to date.
Stationary fast food
gaddas right under
nose of civic officials
The iconic Margao Old Bus Stand and the parking lot opposite the Margao KTC Bus Stand have effectively turned into fast-food hubs in the city’s commercial heart. While the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) periodically inspects these gaddas for health and hygiene compliance, the MMC appears to have ignored the fact that most have become permanent fixtures in these locations.
Municipal licence conditions clearly mandate that gadda owners remove their carts to their residences after business hours. Even police officials privately admit that removing these carts would free up much-needed parking space — particularly at the Old Bus Stand during peak school hours.
Why the MMC hesitates to enforce its own licence conditions remains a mystery, especially when Margao MLA and PWD Minister Digambar Kamat has repeatedly maintained that he does not interfere in municipal affairs and has given civic officials a free hand to act against illegalities.
Gaddas on road
widening areas
It’s been over three years since then PWD Assistant Engineer Prasad Panandikar initiated the process of removing gaddas and encroachments from designated road-widening zones. The PWD had even issued notices directing operators to vacate the areas within seven days. Yet, far from compliance, some gaddas have erected fabricated poles replacing bamboos — notably near the congested Comba railway crossing.
Despite the March 6, 2025 High Court order directing concerned departments and local bodies to clear such encroachments, both the PWD and the MMC remain unmoved.
FDA inspection shows
unlicensed gaddas
operating in Margao
A recent FDA inspection of fast-food stalls located in front of and behind the Margao railway station revealed several unlicensed gaddas operating without proper authorization. While the FDA has directed owners to address hygiene and health compliance issues, questions are now being raised within and outside the MMC about enforcement -- How many of these unlicensed gaddas have been confiscated by the civic body? As of now, there appear to be no clear answers from the civic body.
