MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council on Friday gave its nod for a hydraulic multi-level parking in the city, subject to the condition that the councillors are ferried to Delhi to see for themselves the efficacy of the hydraulic technology.
The Council also cleared a proposal for introduction of pay-parking opposite the KTC bus stand, and the development of the iconic Margao old bus stand.
The setting up of a cafeteria in the iconic Agha Khan garden and the handing over of the southern portion of the Margao Municipal garden to the Forest Department for maintenance also found favour with the Council.
At the Council meeting chaired by civic chief Damu Shirodkar, the hydraulic multi-level parking project was placed before the councillors for discussion. Councillors, cutting across party lines, underscored the need for a multi-level parking lot in the commercial capital to resolve the acute parking problem. However, since the hydraulic parking technology is not yet implemented anywhere in Goa, the councillors insisted that the Council make arrangements for the councillor to inspect the facility wherever it is has been successfully implemented.
Municipal Engineer Deepak Desai explained to the councillors that the hydraulic parking project is in place near AIIMS Delhi, besides housing societies in Mumbai. Councillor Pooja Naik set the ball rolling by demanding to know the nature of the technology and whether it would help resolve the city’s parking requirements.
Civic chief Damu Shirodkar said the previous tender floated to set up a multi-level parking lot has been shelved for lack of bidders. He said the hydraulic parking lot will save land since it can accommodate the same number of cars with almost the same cost of the previous tender. It was finally agreed to take the councillors to Delhi to inspect the multi-level parking technology before a decision is taken to implement the same in the commercial capital.
Cafeteria
The Council gave the nod for the cafeteria at the Agha Khan’s garden after civic chief Damu Shirodkar assured former Chairperson Ganashyam Shirodkar that the project will be taken up only after taking legal advice given that the garden is in possession of the Forest Department for maintenance.
Development of parking opposite KTC bus stand
MMC Chairperson Damu Shirodkar told the Council that Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) has proposed a parking project on the MMC acquired land opposite the KTC bus stand. He said the project will streamline traffic, presently housing around 300-400 two-wheelers, and also ensure safety for the vehicles. He said the entire area will be fenced and illuminated before introducing pay parking. Shirodkar, however, assured the councillors that though GSUDA will take up the project, the pay parking fees will be fixed by the Council.
Development of old bus stand
The MMC chief said the old bus stand will be beautified by the GSIDC in order to give the iconic place a new look. He said the civic body had streamlined the fast food business activity on the bus stand last year, adding that the GSIDC will now spruce up the entire area as part of the beautification.
Councillors question payment for waste collected from railway station, markets
MARGAO: Even as the Margao Municipal Council is bracing up to float a fresh tender for door-to-door waste collection for the new financial year, councillors on Friday wondered whether the civic body is getting paid for garbage collected from the Margao railway station and the SGPDA markets.
Councillors also raised a hue and cry over the shortage of garbage bins, pointing out that the waste collectors are using damaged bins to transport waste from the households to the centralised place.
Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar gave a clean chit to the two garbage contractors collecting waste from Margao and Fatorda areas. He said the civic body has now decided to mandate the contractors to deploy two additional collectors in each of the wards for cleanliness.
While appreciating the door-to-door garbage collection by the contractors, councillors, however, questioned the Municipal administration for the delay in procuring bins for garbage transportation. BJP councillor Sidhant Gadekar and Chairperson Damu Shirodkar were engaged in a spat over the non-availability of garbage bins. When the Chairperson and Municipal Engineer insisted that bins were distributed to the ward supervisors, the councillors demanded the presence of supervision at the meeting hall.
The civic chief expressed his concern over the increasing wet waste generated in the commercial capital. When a Councillor Francis Joanes demanded to know whether the civic body has been successful in conducting the drives against plastic carry bags, Chairperson Damu shotback saying, the government should instead ban the factories from manufacturing the banned plastic carry bags.
Councillor Ganashyam Shirodkar drew attention of the civic chief to the fast food centres operating at the Margao railway station. He demanded to know whether the civic body is charging the Konkan Railway Station and the SGPDA for the garbage collected by the Municipality.
