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MAPUSA
If roads in Mapusa are in terrible state and driving on them is a nightmare, then parking and traffic system in the commercial capital of North Goa is in total shambles.
Finding a place to park or even to walk through a maze of haphazardly parked vehicles is a hell of experience in Mapusa.
Not an inch of space is available for parking in the town. Many times, even if you want to pay and park, you won’t get a spot. At times, people resort to parallel parking.
It’s not that there is no enough space in Mapusa. In fact, there is plenty. Most of the open spaces have been occupied by rent-a-bikes, tourist taxis or even private vehicles for free.
“Parking has become a disease in Mapusa. There is no will among politicians to tackle the problem head-on,” an exasperated Ratnapal Salkar, a teacher from Mapusa, lashed out.
Social worker, Bhai Moye, has given up on Mapusa and its band of unimaginative leaders.
“If I want to go for shopping in Mapusa, I have to first think where to park my vehicle. Even after taking two to three rounds, I end up finding no place to park my vehicle. So, I do the next best thing. Leave my vehicle at home and travel by bus,” said Moye, from Xelpem-Mapusa.
He blames the leaders (politicians) for allowing the wounds of traffic indiscipline to fester for so long.
The civic body has failed to identify and develop pay-parking areas around the town.
The open space in front of the taxi-stand, where Bombay buses halt, or the place opposite the Canara Bank, can easily be converted into pay-parking.
“As I said, they won’t do it. Simply because the political will is missing,” Salkar reiterated.
On Friday, the main commercial hub in Mapusa turns into one big chaos. All the streets leading to the Mapusa market are chock-a-block with vehicles making even walking in the market an arduous task.
Even otherwise on other week days, the entrance to the market is always packed with vehicles, leaving very little room for shoppers to make their way around in the market.
Despite the traffic problems in the market, in a bizarre decision the council has given a go-ahead to build more shops in the market.
“Where will the new shopkeepers park vehicles? Where is the parking facility for the new customers that will flood the market,” asked Sudesh Tivrekar, who’s contesting the council election.
Mapusa Merchants Association President, Yeshwant Gawandalkar agrees with Tivrekar.
“New shops will bring more congestion in the market,” he said. “All our appeals right from the council to the local MLA have fallen on deaf ears,” he added.
Parking and traffic indiscipline is one key issue where all stakeholders including the public are responsible for the sorry state of affairs.
This is also one issue where every councillor, past and present, ruling and opposition and every new candidate who are trying their luck in the council election, are unanimous on.
Salkar blames the political class for the messy traffic situation in the town.
“I don’t expect any changes in the chaotic parking or undisciplined traffic system in Mapusa even after new set of councilors takeover the Mapusa council. Unless the will to bring in the change comes from the top level, nothing will change in Mapusa,” Salkar added.
The problem of traffic chaos has been lingering for far too long in Mapusa. Converting more areas into pay parking and enforcing traffic discipline will be two crucial decisions the new council will have to apply their mind on.
The new council it appears has much on its hands. The million dollar question, however, is will the new set of councillors bite the political bullet?
