On Sunday, two tourists dangerously manoeuvring a jeep through the inner roads of Arpora-Anjuna caught the attention of onlookers. The two were seated on the car's open roof and negotiating the steering with their feet, raising a scare among people even as video clips of the stunt went viral on social media. Merrymaking by desi tourists in coastal Goa has been an issue lately, with several cases of tourists taking off in vehicles, risking the lives of visitors. Last month a car was stuck in the sand after tourists lost control on Morjim beach. In June this year, an SUV got stuck in wet sand after the driver tried an adventure ride into the seawater. There was another incident in April, and there have been several such instances of tourists taking liberties with the law and getting into uncontrolled frolicking.
At a time when Goa is grappling with a spate of accidents which have left several dead, grievously hurt and even crippled, such daredevilry by tourists is only adding salt to injury, and it makes a complete mockery of the system we are in. Is this the picture we want to see against the backdrop of people dying on the roads? Almost a week back, the Goa police formed a team to study road accidents and probable causes and suggest course correction.
While the discourse in Goa is about bad roads, poor road engineering, restricted lighting, etc., the tourists openly displaying recklessness on streets and beaches shows that deterrents are not set. The system has allowed room for visitors to manoeuvre and have a free run in the name of tourism. Mind you, the vehicle doing the stunt at Arpora did not have a registration number plate. Fortunately, the cars stuck on beaches were seized, and the drivers booked. The many who take random sorties on the shore and others who throw caution to the wind, like in the case of the jeep incident at Arpora, have managed to get away because the police enforcement has not been up to the mark. Violations so far have been brought to the notice of the police by everyday citizens or social media posts.
Goa has been a fun holiday destination, and there's no denying that. The State has provided tourists with beaches and entertainment galore but has failed to draw the line in terms of discipline. In the name of hospitality and tourism, the police have allowed violations and illegalities, which is why tourists feel encouraged to try out insane experiments like the one seen at Arpora.
It took a horrific accident at Zuari bridge that claimed four Goans to make traffic police realise the need to be vigilant. Of course, no tourists were involved there, but the accident became a trigger point for police to guard against overspeeding and drunk driving.
The police cannot wait for tragedy to strike and let a few indisciplined tourists run over innocent people. Violators that endanger public life should be dealt with ruthlessly.
