Margao Municipality has reportedly decided to honour a long-pending demand of Goa Senior Citizens Forum (GSCF) to earmark special parking areas for senior citizens in the city.
It is understood that several areas have been chosen within the jurisdiction of the civic body which will have space marked especially for the senior citizens to park their vehicles.
This is a step in the right direction as senior citizens have great difficulty in finding parking space for their vehicles in the city. We all know the frustration of arriving at a destination and finding that all the accessible parking spots are full.
Elderly persons cannot be expected to be confined to the four walls of their homes at all times. An excellent parking system can affect the willingness of the elderly to drive an automobile for travel and for participating in social activities.
A study has shown that most of the older individuals needed wider-than-standard parking spaces as their parking ability could be affected by age, driving experience and health conditions.
Parking spaces for elderly persons provide a welcome relief to those with mobility problems, especially for those who are above 70 years.
Other civic bodies in the state need to take the cue from the Margao Municipality and reserve parking space for elderly persons in their respective jurisdiction.
