MAPUSA: While the government has introduced fast tag technology to prevent congestion and eliminate long wait times at toll booths across the country, the trucks entering Goa from Maharashtra are still stuck in the yesteryears due to an inefficient toll collection check-post at Patradevi in Pernem taluka.Trucks bringing supplies into the coastal state are required to pay a fees of Rs 500 to obtain a pass to enter the state at the Patradevi check post. Since there is only one staff manning the tollbooth, there is a long delay in the issue of these passes.
Every day, around 100 to 150 trucks line up over a stretch of nearly one to three kilometres, and the drivers are forced to walk the distance to reach the tollbooth. The driver/ owner then has to wait in queue for hours for the renewal of their pass. This inconveniences the truckers further, who earn a living according to the number of trips they make, to deliver cargo.
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“We have to park the vehicle several kilometres away and then walk to the tollbooth. Since only one person mans the check-post at a time, the process of issuing receipts is very slow. When will we reach our destination and complete our deliveries on time? Even after paying the fees, we are forced to wait in the queue for hours,” complained a truck driver, urging the authorities to remedy the situation.
