the goan I network
MARGAO
Amidst confusion on the Margao carnival float parade, the Tourism department has come out in strong favour of the old Holy Spirit Church-Margao Municipal square route to host of the Margao Carnival float parade 2020.
In fact, even as the ruling Margao Municipal Council has requested the traffic police to hold the carnival parade as usual on the Ravindra bhavan road, the the Tourism department, on the other hand, has told the district administration, including the traffic police officials to lend all necessary help and assistance to the Carnival parade organizers to make the parade a grand success in the interest of promoting tourism.
Given the situation, all eyes are focused on the South Goa district Collector, Ajit Roy and district administration, which is believed to be vehemently opposing any move to bring the Carnival float parade back on the old route from the traffic point of view.
When The Goan contacted the district Collector to shed light on the 2020 Margao Carnival float parade route, Roy only said no decision has been taken yet on the parade route. He said a meeting will be held soon to take a call on the carnival parade route.
Questions are being raised in local circles whether the district Collector and the police authorities will hold their ground and thwart any attempt made by the Tourism department to bring the carnival float parade back to the old route.
For, the tourism department has dispatched a letter to the district authorities, including the district Collector and the district police conveying the department’s decision to return the parade route back to the Margao Municipal square.
While senior district administration and police officials are vehemently opposed to the return of the parade route from Ravindra bhavan route back to the MMC square. In fact, the parade route was shifted from the Holy Spirit Church-MMC square route to the Ravindra bhavan route based on the recommendation from the police and district administration around three years ago.
Based on the recommendation, not just the carnival float parade, but the Shigmo parade, besides the Julus religious processions and the Shiv Jayanti procession were all barred from entering the heart of the town.
In fact, a senior police official said that permitting the Carnival float parade will only open the floodgates for all parades and processions to return back to the Margao Municipal square and garden.
“How the very same police officials will now vouch for the old Holy Spirit-MMC square route is a million dollar question. That’s the reason the role of the district Collector, Ajit Roy will come into play as the administration appears not convinced that the float parade should be brought back to the old route,” remarked a police official.
