Pay-parking in parts of Panaji from February 15, likely to be round-the-clock

PANAJI: Pay-parking for two- and four-wheelers along nine stretches in the state capital is expected to commence on Saturday and is likely to be implemented 24x7, including on Sundays and public holidays.
Signage displaying parking rates per hour have already been erected around the city, including on 18th June Road, around the Church Square, around Garcia de Orta, around the old secretariat and in the Campal residential area.
The public will be issued computerised receipts that will mention the date, time and number of their vehicle. “There will be no manual ticketing. This way, we have a proper accounting system in place from Day 1,” the contractor, Sohan Juwarker, told TOI. He also said he has handed over Rs 1 crore to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) towards a bank guarantee and security deposit for the three-year pay-parking contract.
While the agreement between the CCP and the contractor is yet to be signed, the corporation is confident it can roll out pay-parking in Panaji on February 15. “The terms of the agreement stipulate that the contractor will implement pay-parking on February 15. We will sign the agreement at the beginning of this week,” mayor Uday Madkaikar told TOI.
Fifty workers have been engaged in collecting pay-parking fees. Police verification of their antecedents is under way.
Discounted monthly and yearly passes will be issued to those interested, including shop owners. “We have fixed the rate for monthly passes at Rs 150 for two-wheelers. The rate for four-wheelers will be decided in the next few days,” Juwarker said, adding that an app is being developed to make the pass system paperless.
Once charged, parking fees will be considered valid for any other parking location within CCP’s jurisdiction for that time slot. Government vehicles will be exempted from paying for parking.