Panaji: The Bombay high court on Friday directed authorities to install additional cameras, act against unauthorised parking and touts, restore road signage, and deploy traffic personnel until 9pm to ease congestion on D B Marg.A division bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar directed Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) and the state govt to upgrade existing automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras on DB Road within five months. The cameras, which currently detect seat belt and red-light violations, must also be able to detect unauthorised parking.“The traffic cell of Panaji police shall strictly monitor all the violations and shall promptly take action against the violators,” the bench stated.The court also directed IPSCDL to install additional ANPR cameras between Mermaid Garden and Santa Monica Jetty. At present, cameras are installed only at Kala Academy, Ferry Wharf, Customs House and Divja Circle.PWD was directed to repaint zebra crossings at Divja Circle, outside Mermaid Garden, near Ambedkar Statue, Customs Junction and Ferry Wharf within a month. An additional crossing must be created near Hotel Mandovi and notified by the district collector within 15 days. IPSCDL must install pelican signals at all these crossings within five months.The court further directed PWD to install bollards or other barricades along DB Marg within a month to prevent parking on footpaths. Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) must install or repair railings between Divja Circle and Ferry Wharf, with openings at zebra crossings, within the same period.The district magistrate was directed to notify the area behind Old Secretariat as a no-parking and designated pick-up/drop-off zone for taxis, buses and other vehicles within 20 days. Within 15 days, the stretch from Old Accounts Building to Abbe Faria statue and the road leading to Hotel Republic/The Crown Goa must also be notified as a no-parking zone on both sides. The existing bus stop on the stretch will remain unaffected.The court directed the SP (traffic cell) to deploy personnel in shifts until 9 pm. CCP must provide a vehicle-lifting van and labourers whenever required by the traffic cell. The Panaji police inspector was also directed to take strict action against touts stopping vehicles along D B Marg.Advocate general Devidas Pangam assured the court that CCP would restore all ‘no parking’, ‘no entry’ and other signboards across Panaji within a month.The directions were issued in a suo motu PIL on Panaji’s traffic plan after the court considered suggestions from the advocate general, traffic police and amicus curiae Nigel Costa Frias.
