With increasing number of vehicles, especially cars and bikes, congesting the state’s already stressed road infrastructure, the Goa government is considering curtailing granting of permits for new cars registered in the state.
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho told reporters on Thursday that the suggestion to stop giving out car permits was made at a meeting of cabinet ministers on Wednesday.
“There was a suggestion yesterday when all the ministers met, not to give more permits for cars because there are too many cars on the road. There is no parking. They come and park in anybody’s neighbourhood, blocking people from coming out of their house. You see what is happening in and around the airport. They park all over, near the Joggers park, they can’t come out of their houses,” Godinho said.
“This situation cannot be allowed beyond a certain point. I will be reviewing the whole thing,” he also said.
According to the Goa government’s Economic Survey report 2021-22, the state has around 15.27 lakh registered vehicles, for a population of nearly 16 lakh.
On an average 57,000 vehicles are registered with the state transport authorities every year. Around 70.81 per cent of the total vehicles in Goa are registered under the two-wheeler category followed by cars and jeeps including taxis which accounts for around 22.77 per cent.
Godinho also said that a virtual explosion of rent-a-bikes (self driven rental vehicles) had also led to more accidents in the state involving tourists.
“As far as two-wheelers are concerned, they are another big problem. Rent-a(bike) is another big problem which is developing because they were just given without application of mind. I want to inform you that in the last eight months I have not cleared a single new licence and I am not going to clear,” he said.
“The tourists use these bikes, they do not know the roads. The person riding pillion guides the driver using GPS and there are accidents. There have been maximum fatalities. Do we want to call tourists and kill them on the roads with no steps being taken,” he added.