MAPUSA
Amidst mounting public pressure, the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has revoked its contentious decision to raise pay parking fees by a staggering 200 percent. The move, met with relief from local residents and consumers frequenting the town’s primary parking lot, marks a significant backtrack by the council.
The MMC has reverted to the previous rates, charging Rs 20 for four-wheelers and Rs 10 for two-wheelers for a two-hour period.
However, a new imposition of an 18 percent GST on parking fees has been introduced.
The unilateral decision-making of the administration, particularly Chief Officer Chandrakant Shetkar, has come under intense scrutiny in the aftermath of the fee hike debacle.
Criticism has been directed at Shetkar for his tendency to make decisions without consulting the council, bypassing established protocols and disregarding the council’s input.
Councillors from various party affiliations have voiced their discontent with Shetkar’s autonomous approach, citing provisions of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968, which mandate that the chief officer operates under the direction, control, and supervision of the chairperson.
Councilor Prakash Bhivshet, representing Ward 20, emphasised that decisions must be made in consultation with the council, rather than at the whims of administrative officials.
“In Mapusa municipal council, the officers appear to be taking decisions as per their whims and fancies. The councillors are ignored, and decisions are taken without taking the council into confidence,” Bhivshet said.
Chairperson of the MMC, Nutan Bicholkar acknowledged that the decision to increase parking rates was made unilaterally by the taxation department, without due consultation with the council.
She highlighted the discrepancy between administrative actions and the council’s authority to decide on financial matters through resolutions.
Bicholkar clarified that while the administrative department received notification from the deputy collector regarding the rate hike, the council’s stance was against such an increase.
She emphasised the council’s prerogative as representatives of the people to determine whether to implement such hikes, particularly when the majority of councillors oppose them.
The controversy surrounding the sudden hike in parking fees, particularly at the taxi-stand, has drawn criticism from locals, who accuse the civic body of prioritising revenue collection over serving the community’s needs.
Shetkar’s unilateral actions have underscored broader concerns about accountability and transparency within the MMC’s administrative structure.
