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Goa may stop issuing new licences for rental Thars amid rising accidents
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Earlier in 2024, the Goa Police had mandated that tourists intending to rent vehicles in Goa would have to sign an undertaking, pledging adherence to road safety and traffic norms. (Image generated using AI)
Citing concerns over the rising number of accidents in Goa, Goa Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho Monday said the government is considering restricting issuance of new licences to rental Thar vehicles in the coastal state. After a meeting with the officials Monday, Godinho told the media: “As far as the transport sector is concerned, several issues were discussed. We are concerned about the rising number of accidents and a discussion was held on the reasons and how to curb them. As far as Thar vehicles are concerned, we are going to restrict issuing [new] licences to [operators of rental] Thar vehicles…and it is going to come up in the next STA [State Transport Authority] meeting and they will decide what action has to be taken”.“We are going to recommend to the STA to take action on this and further permissions for Thar [rental vehicles], perhaps, will not be given. It has got too much speed and no control…in the vehicle. So, they [people] just go and bang [vehicles] somewhere,” Godinho said. The minister said an audit will be done to assess how many ‘rent-a-car’ vehicles and operators are operating in the state and whether they have proper parking facilities, as mandated by the norms and the licencing rules. “Strict enforcement is going to be done as far as monitoring is concerned…whether they have got VLTD [Vehicle Location Tracking Device] installed, whether speed governors are installed and in cases of drunken driving…the drive will continue to ensure fewer accidents,” he said.
This comes in the aftermath of a spate of road accidents, involving Thar vehicles, particularly the ones rented by tourists in the state. In May, a 32-year-old man was killed and a minor was critically injured after a rented Thar vehicle driven by a tourist allegedly rammed into their scooter in North Goa. Subsequent probe found the accused Thar driver was inebriated at the time of the incident. In another incident in February, a 65-year-old tourist from Madhya Pradesh was killed after a rented Thar, with a group of young tourists, allegedly rammed into his car in North Goa.Story continues below this ad Godinho said the State Transport Authority has decided to take stricter action against cases of drunk driving and that drivers, who are caught driving under the influence of alcohol and involved in fatal road accidents, will now be booked and face arrest immediately. Earlier in 2024, the Goa Police had mandated that tourists intending to rent vehicles in Goa would have to sign an undertaking, pledging adherence to road safety and traffic norms. The government had also mandated the installation of speed governors – devices that keep speeds under a set limit – for all rental vehicles. The undertaking, by those who want to rent vehicles in Goa, had 10 road safety laws and the corresponding legal penalties for violations. It included pledges such as “I will not drive the car under the influence of alcohol”, and “I will not use the mobile phone while driving the car…” The document also included the name and personal details of the person renting the vehicle, including their driving licence and Aadhaar number. At the time, the police said that a “worrisome” trend was observed, that rent-a-bike and rent-a-cab vehicles were twice as likely to be involved in accidents compared to other registered vehicles in Goa. This was primarily attributed to the negligence of users, especially tourists and their lack of familiarity with roads, diversions and the topography of Goa, as per a survey by the police.
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Pavneet Singh Chadha is the Goa Correspondent of The Indian Express. His reporting focuses intensely on the state of Goa, covering major developments in politics, governance, and significant
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