Panaji: On Wednesday, residents of the capital city will walk into polling booths, but their vote is overshadowed by persistent urban problems, gridlocked streets, deteriorating buildings, poor civic maintenance and tourism.For years, city authorities have promised to tackle parking chaos, peak-hour traffic, a municipal market vulnerable to fire hazards, and growing garbage issues. Residents, however, say such assurances usually fade once the election season ends.The expected entry of a 112-metre-long offshore casino into the River Mandovi recently sparked protests among some residents. Yet many voters insist that the city’s more urgent concerns remain civic infrastructure. The Panaji municipal market stands as a glaring example of neglect. Its underground parking area is poorly lit and often considered unsavoury, while staircases are stained with paan spit and fire-safety equipment is largely missing. Nitin Ganjekar, a grocery store owner in the market, said hose reels, hydrants and sprinklers recommended by the fire department were never replaced. “All equipment is gathering rust. We still have not been able to arrange portable fire extinguishers. The CCP issued notices but did not help us procure them,” he said.Shopkeepers and shoppers say the Corporation of the City of Panaji should at least ensure proper maintenance of the market complex.“The spit stains on the walls make it unpleasant and unhygienic to walk around the market. We have to repaint our shop portions ourselves to keep them clean for customers. The corporation should also keep the staircases clean,” said shopkeeper Shafi Balebhai.The civic body earlier demolished the 1980s market building to make way for Phase III of the market complex, but the project never materialised. The fish market too remains incomplete, leaving vendors frustrated.“The shed was built recently, but water and dirt made it unbearable quickly. The slope meant to drain water is useless because the water stagnates. We also cannot shift to the main building and sell fish among fruit and vegetable vendors,” said Smita Jawlekar, a fish vendor.Traffic congestion remains another concern. Panaji’s roads are packed with vehicles, cargo trucks, tourist buses and taxis parked outside offshore casinos. The electric hop-on hop-off buses running on closed-loop routes improved public transport to some extent but did not reduce dependence on private vehicles.The corporation introduced a pay-parking system to discourage residents from driving into the city and curb double parking. Residents say the system has done little to ease the problem.“Parking remains an issue even after pay parking. We pay for a spot but still struggle to take our vehicles out because cars are parked too close to each other,” said Ramdas Naik, a regular shopper at the market.Safety concerns also loom over ageing buildings. About 20 structures have been marked weak and dangerous, but only two have been demolished — the old market building and a dilapidated house on MG Road. Hundreds of people continue to pass beneath these fragile structures daily.
