Cops do U-turn, give nod for Carnival on Panaji main road

PANAJI: After initially denying permission to hold the annual Carnival parade along its traditional route in the city, Panaji police and traffic cell of Goa police gave their nod following a meeting with the North Goa collector, Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), including city mayor, on Thursday.
With the CCP getting the permission from North Goa collector, this year’s Carnival parade, which will be held on Saturday, will commence at the Santa Monica jetty and end at Kala Academy, Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserrate said on Thursday.

The collector has given permission, Monserrate told TOI. “It is police who have to manage the traffic and they cannot refuse to do it. If the Prime Minister wants to see the city, then will the police say that due to traffic congestion they will not allow the PM to visit the city?” he said.
Madkaikar said that the parade was shifted from its traditional route a few years ago due to the construction work of the third bridge over the Mandovi. At the time there was no parking space for the tableaus below the bridge, but with the areas now cleared there is no problem in hold the Carnival on the old route, he said.
When the route was changed, the parade was held from Miramar circle to Dona Paula circle.
After patiently hearing us, the North Goa collector has allowed the carnival parade on the city route, the mayor told reporters.
“When the collector asked Panaji police and traffic cell about their decision, both of them agreed to deploy personnel to manage the traffic,” he said.
As of now, 28 participants have registered to put up tableaux for the parade, but the mayor said that he expected over 60 to participate.
He said that due to protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), they will scrutinise each and every tableau so that the Carnival is not used for either pro- or anti-CAA protests.
“We have given instructions to police that if a pro- or anti-CAA tableau enters the route unnoticed, then, the moment it is noticed, it should be removed,” Madkaikar said.