PANAJI: GoaMiles and Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN)-Goa have entered into a Letter of Intent to provide free transportation to eligible victims of crime travelling to courts and other services linked to their cases, in an initiative aimed at easing the burden of accessing justice.
The arrangement, effective from today, will give SCAN-Goa access to a dedicated Goa Miles agent panel and a monthly credit for eligible transportation requirements. The parties intend to subsequently enter into a detailed Memorandum of Understanding covering the broader framework of the collaboration.
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho described the initiative as an important and unique step towards supporting victims, particularly those from remote parts of Goa. “This is a very important MOU that has been signed by GoaMiles with SCAN Goa. It is a unique initiative because the victims of crime, whether it is rape and other things, many times what we notice in villages is that they don't have any support forthcoming, particularly to travel up to court and then go back,” Godinho said. He said victims covered under the initiative would not have to bear the transportation costs. “I think I have to really congratulate them. It is the first of its kind in the country where help in terms of transport is being provided to victims of crime in remote villages and from all over Goa. They will bear the entire cost; they won't have to pay anything,” he said.
SCAN-Goa has been working since 2019 with children in conflict with the law, children in need of care and protection, and women facing violence. The organisation works with the police and judicial system and provides counselling, social work and legal assistance. Founder-Director of SCAN-Goa Adv Emidio Pinho said transportation remained a major gap for victims appearing before courts. “One of the major loopholes is that victims are not provided with support for transport from their residence to court and from court back to their residence. And even if the judicial system provides for batta charges, these batta charges are not being paid to the victims or their family members,” Pinho said.
He said travel assistance, when available, generally covers the minor victim but not the parent or family member accompanying the child. “If a child has to travel from Canacona, she has to travel from the remote place to the bus stand at Canacona, take another bus to Margao, and from Margao they have to come to Panaji, because we have only one Children's Court and one POCSO court in the state, which is located in North Goa,” he said. “The travel itself is tiresome; the travel itself is trauma. So with this signing of the MOU, Goa Miles has committed towards assistance in providing free transport to the victims from their residence to court as well as back from court to their residence,” Pinho said.
GoaMiles founder and managing director Utkarsh Dabhade said the company considered the initiative a responsibility towards the community. “We know that there are many instances where these people need fearless transport to protect their emotions and what they are approaching. After contributing eight years in the state of Goa, we feel it is our duty to support the people,” Dabhade said. “With the guidance from the Transport Minister and the initiative from SCAN, we today signed this MOU, which will be supported for a free transportation service for such people,” he said. Dabhade also assured that confidentiality would be maintained during the transportation of beneficiaries.
CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate said transportation should not become an obstacle to justice. “I know that the victims have been having an extremely hard time getting to their destination and transport should not be one of the reasons why they cannot get justice from the court system,” Monserrate said.
The Letter of Intent includes safeguards concerning authorised use, confidentiality and personal information. Passenger and trip details may be shared with drivers and service providers only to the extent necessary to provide the transportation service. SCAN-Goa said victim assistance must extend beyond the courtroom, with access to police stations, hospitals, counsellors, lawyers and courts also forming part of the justice process. The organisation said the initiative is aimed at making access to justice more accessible, compassionate and victim-centred.
