During the day, Vagator is a paradise on earth. Huge seawaves lapping up the shore and verdant foliage across the hill makes Vagatorbeach a perfect picture postcard. Vagator is one of the famous beaches in NorthGoa, which is 25 kilometers from the State capital.
Walk in during the night, after 8.00 pm to be specific, andVagator turns into a black hole. Non-functional street lights, shut shops andrestaurants and skewed transport system welcome tourists who come to unwind inGoa.
It was 9.00 pm when The Goan visited Vagator for a firsthandexperience. An Indian tourist couple was waiting at a decrepit bus-stand hopingto catch a bus to Mapusa. Raj Kumar from Madhya Pradesh who came along with hiswife inquired with this reporter, “Last bus kitne baje hai. Hum ek ghante se waitkar rahe hai. Yahan koi taxi milegi kya?”
The entire coastal stretch has no taxi or any means oftransport after 8.00 pm here. The last private bus travels out of Vagator at6.30 pm to Mapusa, while the last bus to Vagator from the Mapusa bus-stand isat 7.30 pm.
Since its offseason, most of the restaurants have shut shopfor the season. If you need to have a bite you will have to travel to Mapusa,as no eateries are open in Vagator. There is no single PCO in the vicinity justin case your mobile battery crashes.
The situation is much worse on the beach side. Walk down tothe helipad to your own peril, as its pitch dark there.
Petty criminals thrive in such situations. The only solacewas the presence of a police PCR jeep which was doing the rounds in thearea.
For tourism industry this is a sad story. Goa governmentplans to focus on new tourism policy. It appears it has a long way to go.
