Cracking down on the illegal use of private vehicles for commercial tourism, the Goa government on Friday announced that it will issue an ordinance enabling cancellation of licences of rental car and bike operators found flouting rules.
The ordinance will target rental service operators who deploy private-registered vehicles for commercial purposes without appropriate permissions. It will also apply to individuals who, despite not holding a commercial rental licence, offer their vehicles for hire to tourists.
A senior official stated, “This decision is aimed at curbing unregulated operations and ensuring passenger safety. Violators will face strict action under the proposed ordinance.”
According to the traffic cell of the Goa Police, over 600 challans were issued last year for using private vehicles for commercial purposes. Once a challan is issued, vehicle owners are required to appear in court to clear the penalty.
The government aims to bring more discipline to the booming tourism-driven rental sector while deterring unauthorized operators and protecting legal businesses.