IS THE CCP's INTEREST TO COLLECT REVENUE FOR PAY PARKING? The letter published in some of the section of Press by Adv Suresh Raikar from Alto Dabolim is well taken, by the Panjimites and he has our full support. It is true when the owners pay life time road tax at the time of purchase of vehicle and again why they need to be put in burden for this illegal Pay Parking fees on public roads? CCP Mayor has told me on SMS that he has seen people paying such taxes abroad in European countries, Singapore, Dubai etc and there is no objection from any of them. I replied him that this is Goa and not a foreign country. People need to be educated first on traffic rules etc and in case the Pay Parking on public road is approved then it will affect mostly the ordinary citizen. People when they have to purchase items from all various shops even for a pencil, rubber, nails, etc or anything worth Rs 5/-, the payment after buying these items the cost of Pay Parking fees will be added in every parking areas. It is not possible especially in Panjim and Margao to introduce such an exercise on Pay Parking just because the CCP wants to collect a revenue? There are many other avenues to generate the funds and in absence of Malls in our towns, this system will put a burden on poor citizens. It is fine in other big cities like Bangalore, Mumbai or Pune and even abroad , who have big Malls with underground and overhead parking, but not here. There is no provision in the Motor Vehicle Act for levying and collecting such taxes for vehicle parking at public street. CCP can very well find a place in some open grounds if available in Panjim or desist introducing such Fees.
Stephen Dias D.Paula
