MAPUSA
President of the All Goa Private Bus Owners Association Sudeep Tamhankar said private bus operators were not unduly worried about the new vehicle scrappage policy simply because the central law is presently applicable only to government vehicles while the private vehicles in Goa have been given relaxation from the legislation for four years.
Tamhankar reiterated that the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has assured a delegation of bus operators that the new scrapping policy will not be implemented for private vehicles immediately.
“Initially, there was a misunderstanding when State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho made the statement that the government will scrap vehicles after 15 years… He did not mention whether the policy is for private or government vehicles. The fact is that the new vehicle scrapping policy will be implemented for government, corporations and public sector undertakings vehicles and not private vehicles,” Tamhankar said.
Tamhankar said that private buses don’t run more than 140 to 200 km per day in Goa while buses in other States clock 500 to 600 km per day on average.
He said soon after the Union government announced its scrappage policy, a delegation of private bus operators met the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and explained to him the conditions in Goa vis-Ã -vis the other states in the country.
He further said that the bus operators placed all their apprehensions including the time taken to clear off loans before the Union Minister.
“The union transport minister agreed to give us relief for three to four years so that we can clear all our bank loans. It means that the bill passed in Lok Sabha will not be implemented in Goa immediately for private vehicles,” Tamhankar maintained.
He said even after 20 years, the vehicles in Goa were as good as new.
“When the RTO gives a road-worthy fitness certificate, then we can drive the vehicle on the road. If the RTO says that the vehicle is not fit and has to be scrapped, then it should be scrapped,” he said.
The All Goa Private Bus Owners Association President said the statement made by the State transport minister had no meaning as everyone was still following the Central Motor Vehicle Act.
“We are very thankful to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. He has given relief to private vehicles and resolved our issues sympathetically,” he said.
