Colva is a famous beach in South Goa and not only the tourists visit it but also the Goans enjoy it. The tourism department wants to go ahead with the decision to implement parking fees at the beach, which is high. It looks like the government wants to make money at the expense of tourists visiting the beach by vehicle, which will affect the locals too.
Now, the local fishermen who come to the beach parking lot will also have to pay for parking which is not fair. In the name of the development of beaches, the government has started looting people through pay parking and this will be implemented at most of the famous beaches in Goa.
We the common men are facing hardships even after paying road taxes to the government. Everywhere, there are parking charges and this is a good way to make money as the taxi drivers, bus drivers, locals and tourists have to pay for four-hour parking and pay an extra amount for the additional time.
If this continues, then the Goans who have been visiting the Colva beach for years will be forced to visit some other beaches, especially in the summer holidays. There are many Konkani songs about the golden sand of the Colva beach and we have the memories of the past days when our elders took us to the beach during our childhood days. Thousands of people visit Colva during the fama of Menino Jesus and the government is eyeing the spot to get extra income.
The locals are not happy with the decision and we request the Tourism Minister, the local MLA and the Colva village panchayat to stop the pay parking drama in the interest of the public. Pay parking will make a hole in the pockets of local businessmen, traditional fishermen, taxi operators and niz goenkars visiting the beach regularly. Paying everywhere we go in our own State is not fair.
