MARGAO
After endless delays and failed deadlines, the Margao Municipal Council has finally floated a fresh tender for the construction of the multi-level parking project at the Old Fish Market behind the municipal building.
While the project has been tendered for an estimated cost of Rs 5.58 crore, municipal engineers said the it does not include the GST “ a factor which was earlier responsible for the project getting grounded.
The municipality floated a fresh tender after the civic body received the approval from the Public Works Department (PWD). The MMC had approached the PWD with a proposal to float a fresh tender after the contractor stayed away from the project due to the GST tangle.
Municipal engineer Arsekar told The Goan that the civic body has floated a fresh tender, inviting prospective bidders to bid for the long-delayed project. He, however, made it clear that the estimated cost of the project does not include the GST.
The multi-level car parking project has hit a roadblock ever since the Margao Municipal Council headed by then Chairperson Arthur D’Silva laid the foundation stone for the project way back in 2015.
The project had a provision to accommodate around 180 cars, besides two-wheelers on land admeasuring 4800 square meters. The project was initially planned to be taken up by utilising funds amounting to Rs three crore under the golden jubilee celebration scheme formulated by the then Congress government headed by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.
While Arthur’s successor Babita Prabhudesai had revived the project by floating a tender, it could not take off due after the contractor shortlisted by the civic body raised a dispute over GST payment.
Incidentally, though the commercial capital is blessed with as many as three open spaces, including the Old Fish Market, old bus stand and the pick-up stand, successive councils and governments had miserably failed set up a multi-level parking lot in place despite the fact that the city is plagued by acute parking problem.
