MARGAO
Planning to take a break from your hectic schedule and head towards Salcete’s coastal belt -- be it the world famous Colva beach or neighbouring Benaulim, Betalbatim, Majorda, Varca or Cavelossim, better carry a helmet if you intend to travel on a two-wheeler.
Chances are high that you may be hauled up for violating the Motor Vehicles Act for riding a two-wheeler without helmet and finally end up paying a challan to the vigilant traffic cops.
Otherwise, just consider this. The day-to-day drive conducted by the traffic police stationed along the coastal belt has already begun paying rich dividends on the revenue front. Around 50-60 cases of MV Act violations are registered by the traffic police almost every day on an average, enriching the state’s coffers.
Tourism stakeholders, including local residents, however, see red over the presence of traffic cops at all the road junctions heading towards Salcete’s coastal belt “ right from Cavelossim, Carmona, Orlim, Varca, Benaulim Colva, Betalbatim and Majorda.
If the traffic police personnel, operating from the Colva panchayat premises, have made their presence felt at Mungul and on the road near the Colva police station to check violations, the presence of the men-in-uniform at the Khareband junction leading to Salcete’s coastal belt from Cavelossim to Benaulim has only raised fears in local circles that the police presence may only come in the way of visitors coming to the belt.
In fact, the gram sabha of Colva panchayat, at one of its meetings, had voiced concern over the presence of traffic cops on the roads to the beach. In fact, the gram sabha had even suggested that the panchayat write to the traffic department to vacate the premises at the earliest.
When The Goan called up Colva Sarpanch Anthony Mama Fernandes to shed light on the concerns voiced by the tourism stakeholders, he said the panchayat had indeed dashed off a letter to the traffic department to vacate the premises, but in vain. “One common refrain made by the locals is that the traffic police have virtually come in the way of visitors coming to the beach,” he said.
When contacted, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao said he was scheduled to raise the issue in the Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly. However, the session was curtailed due to the ill health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. “I understand that the police are doing their duty, but at the same time they should ensure that their action does not hamper visitors from
visiting the beach belt,” Churchill said.
DySP (Traffic) Prabodh Shirwaikar, however, begged to differ. He said the traffic police is only enforcing the provisions of the MV Act, making wearing of helmets mandatory even on village roads. “Our traffic police have conducted raids at Colva, Benaulim, Betalbatim, Majorda and even at Orlim to bring traffic discipline. There’s no intention at all to stop visitors from thronging the beach belt,” DySP Shirwaikar asserted.
