Rickshaws lying at the MMC old market garage for want of upkeep and maintenance.
MARGAO: In an incident that has reflected the sorry state of affairs over the maintenance of vehicles, around seven rickshaws procured by the Margao Municipal Council around half a decade ago are lying at the Municipal garage for want of batteries and maintenance.
These seven vehicles were allotted to the Margao Municipal Council in June 2016, to facilitate the municipality in collection of waste, especially along the narrow and poorly accessible areas. However till as late as December 2016, these vehicles were never put to use. It was also pointed out at that time, that due to the non-functional vehicles, the mandatory free services could not be availed.
The Shadow Council of Margao has slammed the deplorable vehicle management system of the Margao Municipal Council once again. Shadow Council convenor Savio Coutinho has said that the seven vehicles are gathering dust and rust at the Municipal garage.
“Our information suggests that these vehicles are inoperative on account of batteries”, he said, wondering how all the 7 vehicles developed the need for new batteries all together.
He lamented that things don't appear to be well at the garage of the MMC in spite of the municipality having half a dozen of workmen including an automobile engineer for the upkeep of the Municipal vehicles. "We hear some amusing things about the mechanic there, who refuses to believe that one cannot avoid getting his hands stained in a garage during the repair of vehicles", he said.
Coutinho added: "We take the vehicle to the garage to fix problems, and only when it starts via the ignition key, we leave the garage. But at the MMC garage, vehicles leave after a push”.
The Shadow Council demanded that proper attention be given to the upkeep of the Municipal vehicles as frequent breakdowns are not only a monetary liability to the Margao Municipal Council, but this also hampers the waste management system of the city.
