the goan I network
PANAJI
The Transport Department has begun a crackdown on private vehicles being illegally hired out to tourists as self-drive vehicles and has impounded around 50 such vehicles.
Director of Transport Nikhil Desai said that the drive, the first phase of which began in Mapusa would be extended to the entire State.
“In the first phase Assistant Director (of Transport) Mapusa Ivo D’Souza has suspended the registration of these vehicles for a period of 4 months. The registration of six four-wheelers and fifteen two-wheelers have been suspended. Further action and drive against all violators will be expedited in coming days especially on weekends where this problem is found to be at its peak,” Desai said in a statement to the media.
The drive has been initiated to send a “strong message to the offenders.”
“As per initial reports the drive has had its desired effect with many private car operators approaching the transport dept to regularise their vehicles under the rent a cab scheme and also keeping their cars off the road. This is the first time that the department has resorted to a mass suspension of registration invoking powers under Section 53 of the Motor Vehicles Act,” Desai said.
As per motor vehicle act, the cars which are used illegally for commercial purposes are liable for suspension of registration during which period the vehicles cannot be driven on public roads.
Last month the transport department caught around 50 such vehicles which were illegally hired to tourists.
The illegal letting out of private vehicles as self-drive vehicles for tourists is an issue that has been repeatedly raised by the taxi operators on grounds that such vehicles are eating into their business.
They had repeatedly sought a crackdown on such misuse.
With the Transport Department opening granting fresh licences for legalised rent-a-cab the ‘illegal’ hiring of such vehicles has reduced. Earlier the operators used to claim that they had no option but to hire private vehicles because the transport department was not granting them licences.
