TEAM HERALD
[email protected]
CANACONA/POINGUINIM: Taxing outstation vehicles entering the State from the southernmost entry point at Polem began on Tuesday morning, amidst traffic chaos and incomplete booth arrangements for the toll attendants at Polem.
Operations to collect the entry tax commenced at 8 am and attendants collected about Rs 70,000 from as many as 150 vehicles entering the state from the Polem border till 6 pm on Tuesday.
While other toll plazas elsewhere in the State borders at Dhargal (Pernem), Dodamarg (Bicholim), Keri (Sattari) and Mollem (Ponda) had begun collecting the entry tax on Monday, the toll plaza at Pollem began operations on Tuesday as the PWD had to complete the installation of the sensor gate.
Many outstation vehicles were caught unawares and had to pay the prescribed tax to the toll attendants to proceed on their onward journey.
A truck driver was seen frantically calling the owner of the truck as he had run short of cash and his vehicle was made to park by the side of the Toll Plaza to enable other vehicles to pay the entry tax and proceed ahead.
Meanwhile, the Shellim-Polem Toll booth is yet to be equipped with a proper ‘Sensor-Gate’, while all vehicles – Goan and outstation – have been made to queue up at the booth, as there is no separate lane for Goan vehicles to pass by without paying the entry tax. As a result, local vehicles are forced to line-up at the booth, even though they are not charged an entry fee. Separate arrangements have only been made for two-wheelers at the booth.
Sources at the Shelli booth further informed that ambulances, ST Buses, central and other state’s government vehicles, besides the commercial vehicles which are registered at Karwar, Belgaum and Sindhudurg are presently exempted from the entry tax.
Sources further informed that the attendants, who work on a shift basis at the booth, do not have toilet or water facilities in or around the booth.
Anthony Tellis, who lives close to the Toll Plaza at Polem, noticed many motorists entering into heated argument with the tax collectors since they were unaware of this entry tax collection drive.
One goods carrier vehicle from Mangalore, who had to pay Rs 1000 to proceed ahead, told Herald that he would stop entering Goa, since he would have to pay Rs 1000 every time he entered Goa.
