MAPUSA
While the authorities have been struggling to ease the acute traffic congestion in Mapusa, unauthorised parking of rent-a-bikes and rent-a-cars in public places is only adding to the growing problem in town.
Several of these rent-a-bikes are found parked at least at two prominent public places in town “ opposite the taxi-stand and near the Syndicate bank.
Locals informed that several rent-a-bikes are found parked illegally in a row opposite the taxi stand (near the Aram soda lane). Sources informed that there are at least 10 ‘players’ who park their rent-a-bikes in the area. “These players (owners), one of whom is a police official, are influential and have had their way for the last so many years. They have been using this public place (opposite the taxi stand) to park their rent-a-bikes for the last more than a decade. Nobody can touch them,” the source said.
In the business point of view, the centrally located spot near the taxi-stand is very convenient as it is very close to the bus-stand and the market.
Desi tourists who arrive by bus can just hop on a hired rent-a-bike and zoom to his favourite destination.
“Since these rent-a-bikes occupy a large part of the space other people are forbidden parking places which adds to the growing parking problem in Mapusa. The authorities seem to be turning a blind eye to the issue,” said Govind Naik, a resident of Mapusa.
Incidentally, the rent-a-bike business opposite the taxi-stand is being carried out in violation of the Road Transport Office (RTO) licence.
Licence for either a rent-a-bike or a rent-a-car is issued only after a parking space is identified at the time of application. “If a person who conducts business of rent-a-bike or rent-a-car has an office in the area then the person can park his vehicles there,” a RTO officer said.
“However, in many cases the owners show parking places at one spot but conduct business in another area,” he added.
Mapusa Traffic PI Marlon D’Souza admitted that the rent-a-bikes consume parking space in prime areas and adds to the congestion problem.
“A month back we had identified the rent-a-bikes involved in unauthorised parking and sent them to the RTO for action,” D’Souza said.
He said a proposal has also been sent to Mapusa civic body to convert the area opposite the taxi stand into pay parking.
