the goan I network
MARGAO
The retaining wall of the Nehru stadium at Fatorda came crashing down on Saturday morning, leaving a Maruti Wagon R and a Santro car damaged, destroying property worth Rs five lakh.
The stadium officials were quick to wash their hands off, saying the cars were parked in a place where they were not supposed to be parked.
When confronted by the media, Stadium manager, Laxmikant Mangueshkar, however, could not state whether the area was declared a no-parking zone by the authorities.
The incident occurred at around 10.08 am during the rains when the retaining wall running parallel to the church road gave way. The front portion of the two vehicles was damaged in the collapse.
Fortunately, no occupant was seated in the car when the retaining wall gave in.
The two owners pointed out that the stadium officials had no courtesy to come out of their cabins and inquire what had happened outside.
“On the contrary, the officials came to tell that the cars that were parked near the wall was a no-parking area,” Wagon R car owner Adv S Barbosa told the media.
Interestingly, local Margao Municipal Council ward councilor Lyndon Pereira maintained that the area where the incident occurred is a no-parking area, but could not throw light whether any agency has notified the area as no-parking.
Stadium manager, Laxmikant Mangueshkar, said the wall was built around 27 years ago when the Nehru stadium was built in the 80s.
“The debris will be cleared and we will immediately move to rebuild the wall,” Mangueshkar said.
When asked whether the Sports Authority of Goa will compensate the car owners for the damage, he shot
back and asserted that the incident was not a disaster and the owners can claim their insurance.
“We will put a note to our higher-ups to bring the incident to their notice,” he said.
