PERNEM/BICHOLIM: The Goa Maharashtra Border gates at Patradevi and Naibagh checkposts, which were earlier closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic opened on Tuesday. This provided much relief to the people commuting in and out of Goa.
However, as the Maharashtra border gates on the Maharashtra side were not opened, vehicles entering Maharashtra were stopped by the Maharashtra police. While people entering into Goa will not be restricted and have free access, those exiting Goa and entering Maharashtra will have to provide their details to the Maharashtra Police.
Officials at the Maharashtra checkpost at Banda informed that they have not yet received any instructions to open the gate butare noting down details of the commuters/travellers and vehicles and let the vehicles cross the gate.
Similarly, the checkpost gate at the Naibagh Satarda border has been opened but the gate from the Maharashtra side at Satarda is closed.
Meanwhile, the Satarda villagers with the support of the local BJP wing agitated at the Satarda checkpost, demanding immediate opening of border gates of Sindudhurg from Maharashtra side.
The agitation continued two hours until the Maharashtra Police intervened and disrupted the agitation. But as more and more people began joining the agitation, Maharashtra police officials had a discussion with the Sindhudurg District Collector and assured the agitators to open their gates immediately after receiving required instructions from the Maharashtra govt.
From March 22, the Patradevi checkpost was under strict security due to the COVID-19 pandemic and only those vehicles having valid travel documents were allowed to cross.
During this lockdown period, many people from Maharashtra were hit financially while many who were working in Goa had lost their jobs. Some were stranded in Goa while others had to stay at home in their villages without jobs. The sealing of borders had affected all types of transactions and movements of people across the borders.
No restrictions to enter Goa: Govt
The Bicholim mamlatdar, Pravinjay Pandit has stated that based on the instructions they had received , they removed all the restrictions for the entry of vehicles through the border checkposts.
“Based on the instructions of the District Administration North Goa, we have removed the formalities we were conducting earlier for passengers entering Bicholim from the Dodamarg checkpost,” said Pandit.
Earlier, the incoming commuters had to either get a COVID negative certificate or had to go in for 14-days home quarantine or undertake a swab test by paying Rs 2,000 at the checkpost. “Now there are no restrictions for the travelers to enter the State through border check posts. All the earlier Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) now stands cancelled,” he added.