MARGAO: Congress leader and former Chairperson of Margao Municipal Council Savio Coutinho
while strongly criticizing the Margao Municipal Council and it’s mentor, the Margao MLA for the failure to solve the ever growing parking problem in Margao, suspects that the GSUDA proposal of parking facility was abandoned after public objection to restaurant in the facility.
Inspite of having sufficient land to set up a multi level parking facility, the Council and it’s mentor have failed to set up the facility, he said.
Recalling several attempts of the past to set up pay parking facilities, Coutinho charged that the Margao MLA himself being incapable of doing something to tackle this problem, he sabotaged others from doing so as well.
Coutinho stated that even when he (Margao MLA) was the Chief Minister, we had initiated a proposal in 2009 to set up a parking facility through GSUDA fund’s. Joaquim Alemao, the then UD Minister had assured us fund’s as well. We had even commenced the process to appoint a consultant. However, insecurity crept within the Margao MLA, the then Chief Minister, and he blocked the funds, by making the GSUDA write to the Council that funds cannot be provided to the Council, but instead the GSUDA would undertake the process if Council agreed. Knowing well who was behind this, as a tester, we took another resolution stating that we are ready to hand over our land to GSUDA to set up the facility, and proved the intention behind the sanction of funds by the GSUDA and the subsequent denial.
Thereafter the next Council, in September 2015, foundation stone was laid for a facility, but till this day the facility didn’t see the light of the day. And to prevent the Council from taking up this project, he got the present Council take a resolution to hand over the project, along with the funds to GSUDA; which proposal also turned out to be a failure.
And now, (probably after some agency meeting the powers in Margao), once again the project has landed back in Margao, however in the form of some hydraulic system. Normally it is very unlikely that GSUDA doesn’t get contractor’s to bid for tenders. In this case however we strongly suspect, has been systematically sabotaged, since the proposal of a restaurant was opposed by all.
We wish to request all the Councillors, before whom this proposal will come for discussion, to please apply their mind and study the feasibility of such a project, that too under the Margao Municipal Council. “There will definitely be pressures from your leaders to agree to this proposal for a hydraulic parking facility, but please consider the fact that such a facility requires lots of maintenance, and eventually may end up to be a white elephant”, Coutinho cautioned.
First and foremost 24×7 power supply will be required. Knowing well the frequent power supply failures, a high power generator would be a must. Power failures can lead to vehicles getting stuck in the facility, causing delays to the vehicle owners.
Secondly due to major structure being of metal, proper attention needs to be given to tackle the corrosion. And finally, the most important factor is that of the hydraulic system, that needs qualified technical persons to operate and maintain as well. “A a time when we see trucks and JCB of the municipality being off the road for several months on account of hydraulic system failure, how can the Council take such a big risk”, Coutinho wonders.
A private owner setting up such hydraulic facility can be understood, but it is foolish upon any government agency to think that they would be able to maintain and manage such a system.
“I wish to very categorically state and be on record, that setting up of a hydraulic system parking facility will be a big failure under the management of the Council, and will soon end up as a abandoned structure, that may require more funds to pull it down as scrap”, Coutinho concluded.