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India has seen a constant upsurge in the number of vehicles in the past years. Goa, in spite of being small geographically, has more than a million vehicles on the road. Even the lack of proper infrastructure and parking facilities has not deterred citizens from purchasing cars and two-wheelers. As road accidents and traffic congestion in the state increase, smart parking management is emerging as the Messiah.

Smart Parking in Goa

• Implementation of Smart Parking and Traffic Management System in Goa

The crying needs for an effective traffic management system in Panaji will now be a thing of the past as Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd. (IPSCD) plans to create 4000 parking bays dotted along the road from Old Goa to Dona Paula. Citizens shall be able to book parking and pay for it via a smart parking app on their mobile phones.

This program will be executed under the integrated Goa Intelligent City Management System. To begin with, 450 locations have been identified from Dona Paula to Panaji and from Ribandar to Old Goa for the installment of state-of-art-technology-based surveillance systems. As a part of this system, road sensors will be installed to collect real-time data on traffic patterns. In case of a crisis, drivers can be alerted and directed to a less congested route through a smart city app. Plans are on to construct multi-storied car parking lots around the city. A great amount of on-street space is used up by cars parked by clients in casinos. Shifting to a multi-storied system will ease the on-road traffic.

Additionally, IPSCD envisages intelligent waste management practices. All dustbins in the individual households, as well as community waste collection centers, will be equipped with a QR code to track garbage collection. The garbage-carrying vehicles will have Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) installed in them so that their movement to the disposal sites can be tracked.

• Impact

Sound implementation of this cutting-edge technology in the traffic system of Panaji will not only benefit the city council alone but will also impact the people of Goa who are the key stakeholders. Road accidents and disorders which are a daily sight in and around the city would be alleviated to a great extent. Brawls among motorists regarding parking space will reduce. The installation of cameras will assist law enforcement authorities to identify and penalize errant motorists and car drivers even without the physical presence of an officer. Smooth traffic movement and strategic car parking systems shall reduce congestion on the roads. The Smart City Mission also plans to make certain areas of the city car-free, with sufficient underground or multi-storied parking on arterial roads, improving livability and walkability.

The Road Ahead

This is the first time in Goa such a project has been undertaken and therefore, special care should be taken that the investments and endeavors have a positive outcome. Authorities should keep a vigilant eye for instances of expensive hardware and road signs being removed or destroyed within days of installation. Strict enforcement of penalties should be ensured. This new system with an overarching technological solution will effectively put an end to the haphazard and illegal parking and disregard of traffic rules in the state.

(Source: Herald Goa)