The drive against private vehicles being used for commercial purposes is likely to be launched soon, as per statements made on Wednesday. The government has issued a stern warning to owners of private vehicles against renting out personal bikes and cars and has threatened to levy fines against offenders.
While there is a move to streamline the tourist transportation service in the State, all such illegalities must stop. It is a positive sign that these irritants in the system must be halted. The question is how.
Although it is against the law, tourists prefer private vehicles because it works out cheaper in terms of rent, and the unnecessary hassles of being stopped by traffic police are avoided. For the owners, this is a steady income. The problem is that unless there is suspicion, the police will not be able to identify a private vehicle deployed on a rental basis unless the tourist himself testifies and produces some receipt. Moreover, the directive from IGP Omvir Singh to traffic police is very clear ” stop vehicles only for visible violations, and don’t stop them unnecessarily. So the question is, how will the police trap a rented private vehicle?
Transport Director Rajan Satardekar warned of serious action against owners of private vehicles if found to be rented, including penalty and suspension of licence. But why is no action against tourists availing these bikes? Secondly, what has the government done to streamline the rent-a-bike business after terming it as a big nuisance on Goan roads?
Lest we forget, in May this year, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho blamed the rented bikes for road accidents and called for an audit of rent-a-bike and all forms of taxis operating in Goa. Yet, five months down the line, there is no clarity on how many rent-a-bike(s) and rent-a-car(s) are running on Goan roads.
Godinho has now sought to make ISI-mark helmets to be mandatory for rent-a-bikes. Why only for rent-a-bikes? Any motorist using non-ISI-mark helmets should be penalised heavily because this is an illegality that the police have ignored despite knowing the consequences.
Lastly, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant narrated a case he witnessed at the Atal Setu bridge in the capital city, an area which is out of bounds for two-wheelers. He mentioned that tourists with private two-wheelers have been trespassing on the bridge. That brings us to the question of the nuisance created by tourists using bikes. The reality is whether it is a rented one or a private vehicle, tourists will continue to bypass rules. The outcomes would be the same. What is the system doing?
The entire issue boils down to having stringent systems in place. Tourists, whether on two-wheelers or cars, need to respect the laws of the land. If we bend the rules to accommodate troublemakers and rogue tourists and are tolerant because of the tourism we desperately want, then we are doomed. The nuisance will continue as long as lawmakers and law-keepers remain unmoved over the loss of innocent lives on roads and the inconvenience caused to everyday citizens. And we will continue to hear the rhetoric of streamlining transport by identifying private and rented bikes.
