PANJIM: The State government is examining a proposal to impose tariffs on passengers and two-wheelers along the crowded Panjim-Betim route, which till date has been free of cost. The proposal a year-old already, which aims at increasing revenue of the River Navigation Department (RND), has also mooted the idea of increasing ‘special trip charges’ and ‘hiring of ferry boat charges’ by over 100 per cent on all routes.
The proposal, a copy of which is in the possession of Herald, suggested imposing a fee of Rs 5 per passenger and Rs 10 for two-wheelers on this busy route. However, sources said the government is not keen on it.
The Law Department, which sought a justification for the proposal for imposing fares on passengers, was earlier this year informed by RND that despite three bridges, two-wheelers and passengers choose the Panjim-Betim route to cut short the travelling distance and time. Besides, for tourists, this is a free joy ride.
“Two-wheeler riders can avoid traffic police by using this ferry route and there are always complaints from the passengers of overloading of ferry boats amounting to unsafe operation,” were among a set of justifications submitted to the parent department and the Secretariat.
The file was recently put up before the government for fresh approval, but sources state that it is most likely to be kept in abeyance.
While the proposal only suggests commercialisation of the Panjim-Betim route, it has maintained that passengers and two-wheelers on the other 17 routes will remain free.
The department is likely to increase its earnings to Rs 15 lakh per month or Rs 1.8 crore per year only from this route. The Panjim-Betim route gets at least 8,000 passengers and 200 two-wheelers per day.
Similarly, charges of special trips and ferries given on hire are likely to escalate as the department has proposed to revise the two-decade-old rates. “The department charges Rs 55 for special trip of ferry boat after normal service, and Rs 400 per hour as hire charges. These rates of Rs 55 and Rs 400 per hour were fixed in the year 1999 and not changed since then,” the proposal stated.
Due to the ‘very low charges,’ the department lamented that commuters are often not punctual as they come much after the normal service hour. This results in ‘no shut down’ for the ferryboat engines, as well as continuous working hours for the staff, it explained.
It has proposed increasing special trip charges from Rs 55 to Rs 250 and from Rs 250 on the Madkaim route to Rs 500. On the hiring of ferries, which is usually done for advertisements, television serials and film shooting, the proposal is to hike it from Rs 400 to Rs 2000 per hour.
Secretariat sources said the government has not taken any decision on the matter even as discussions are still underway.
