Differently-abled resident demands strict action, permanent solution to fix issue outside court
Differently-abled resident Domingos Goes and his mother, a senior citizen, struggled to reach the Vasco court, as parking spots designated for PwDs were misused by other motorists.
VASCO
The misuse of parking spaces reserved for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) outside the Vasco court came to the fore on Thursday, after a differently-abled resident from Velsao had to struggle to reach the court.
Domingos Goes alleged that despite clear signage, parking spots designated for PwDs are routinely encroached upon by other motorists, causing immense inconvenience to PwD commuters.
Speaking to reporters outside the Vasco court on Thursday, Goes narrated his ordeal when he arrived for a court hearing accompanied by his mother, a senior citizen.
“I had a case to attend in the Vasco court and reached here at 10 am, only to find that both parking slots reserved for us were occupied. One was taken by an advocate’s vehicle, while the other was blocked by a soda-selling van—parked horizontally—occupying two slots at once,” said Goes.
“I had to circle the area several times looking for a spot. By the time I was trying to find a parking space, my case had already started, and I had almost missed the hearing. I eventually had no choice but to park in front of the court gate and inform a police staff present about my situation.”
He stressed that such incidents were not isolated to Vasco but were a regular occurrence across the State.
“This has been happening for a long time. The situation is worse during the monsoon when we are forced to park far away and walk in slippery conditions, risking falls. If something happens, no one will help us. It is sad that educated and so-called high-society people are the worst offenders. When they obtain a driving licence, they are taught the meaning of road signs—yet, despite visible boards, they are the first to misuse our slots,” he lamented.
Goes also expressed frustration over the lack of accountability and monitoring.
“I raised the matter with people in the court complex, but they told me they cannot deploy a watchman to guard the slot. Why should we suffer such injustice when the slot is officially reserved for us,” he questioned.
Demanding stern action, Goes called on the Traffic Cell and Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) to take the issue seriously.
“The Traffic Police must issue heavy challans to offenders. This will serve as a deterrent. The MMC and Traffic Cell must ensure these slots remain available for those they are meant for. The government talks about the rights of the disabled, but without enforcement, these rights mean little,” he added.
Goes urged that a permanent mechanism—such as physical barriers, electronic monitoring, or round-the-clock enforcement—be put in place to prevent misuse and ensure accessibility for PwD commuters in Vasco and across Goa.
