A state like Goa whose main industry is tourism must have multiple hassle-free, inexpensive and convenient transportation options for tourists. Especially a state like Goa which has a long coastline and a totally length of 253 kms which covers 40 estuarine, eight marine, and about 90 riverine islands.
Unfortunately the very hand that feeds us, the tourists, are subjected to the exorbitant rates of the taxi mafia whose only goal is short sighted money making. From the moment one lands in Goa at Dabolim airport, one is hounded by the taxi/freelancers operators. For a journey from Dabolim to Calangute, a distance of 38 kms, costs close to Rs 1500 for an air-conditioned car. A similar journey in Mumbai or even Delhi should cost you less than Rs 1000 and if you were to take an Uber or Ola, depending on the time of day it might be even cheaper. There is no proper system at the airport in place, the vehicles are filthy, dirty and the drivers of it are unkempt and dishevelled. Imagine, this is the first impression a tourist receives of our beautiful state.
In fact, this is problematic because Goa is comprised of several villages and the bus service is not extensive or frequent. So even for the local resident, transportation options are limited forcing them to either depend on their own car or bike or scooter to get them around easily, quickly and cheaply.
The proliferation of bikes and scooters zooming around on the narrow roads is a safety hazard. Tourists and residents are both guilty of violating road and safety rules. But owners of bikes are the ones raking in the money as they rent them out without checking for valid driving licences or providing safety gear like helmets. The RTO should stop renewing licences by giving them one year notice.
Similarly, the number of private cars on the streets of Goa has increased because every returning tourist realises that they need their own vehicle to get around. So we have SUVs and jeeps crammed with people and luggage also taking up space, disregarding parking rules and littering along their journey. RTO should stop renewing their licence, nowhere in the world it’s allowed.
Currently the taxis are controlled by our esteemed MLAs who buy licences from the RTO. They control the quota which is shared between Ministers and MLAs. There are no meters and the fares are arbitrarily decided. Over the years there has been a steep increase unfailingly. If every other place in India has an official taxi service, why not Goa? Private players like Meru, Ola, Uber, etc keep the competition lively, options for consumers plenty and the fares competitive. It is healthy all around. If this is not the reason, why can’t the government sort this long standing issue? Kadamba transport services was founded way back in 1980 by Pratapsingh Rane, to get away from dependence on private buses. Why they have not been able to get rid of this private buses?
Therefore, a holistic transportation system is the need of the hour where the needs of both the resident and tourist are taken into consideration. We need a bus system that plies regularly between tourist destinations on a fixed schedule with clean and safe options. This will decongest our roads, improve the safety standards and will be less pollutant. We need a taxi service that is free and fair and not controlled by a mafia that then holds you to ransom. We have several models to learn from so there is no need to reinvent the wheel.
Everywhere in the world, cities and states are attempting to reduce congestion on roads and environmental pollution, but there seems to be no effort on Goa’s part. We must concentrate on mass transportation systems that are efficient, cheap, and safe and non-polluting.
Goa has, is and will continue to be a tourist destination. But it is the quality of the destination that will be important in the long run. Goa can hardly be called a world class tourist destination in my opinion. Yes in the 1970s and 80s, many people around the world came to Goa for peace, solitude and natural beauty. They loved the rustic appeal and the warmth of its people. Since then, the rest of India discovered it too and started descending in hordes. The infrastructure has grown organically with no planning or regulations. Hotels, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and entertainment facilities have grown at a mind-blowing pace. There is no proper rating system, no licensing, no food controls and no quality, safety and health standards. The number of tourists increases every year, yet the roads are narrow, causing a constant traffic jam with vehicles blocking access paths and congesting the roads. Beaches and parks are littered and polluted and our river front is choc-a-bloc with food stalls. Have a test done on river Mandovi River, how much of dirt is floating including of casinos. All types of bacteria is definitely effecting our health.
But this ties back in with the tourism policy that needs to be in place for Goa and something I have written about several times. Our policy appears to be haphazard where anyone anywhere can open a hotel, restaurant or bed and breakfast, including at the cost of destroying our fields. People continue to vote these individuals, when they know they only look at their pockets.
In the long run, Goa will be the one to suffer as this is definitely not sustainable. At some point tourists will feel cheated, the residents will lose out on their livelihoods and our beautiful verdant state will be brown, dirty and barren. Is that what we want?
(The author is Managing Director of Aviation Travel & Tourism Services – ATTS).
