However, some bus operators from Vasco have been plying their vehicles without route permits and the authorities concerned are clueless about the same.
This came to light when a concerned citizen from Vasco reported the matter to some reporters from Vasco giving definite information about a passenger bus plying on the Vasco-Margao route.
The reporters then kept a watch over the movements of ‘Javid Travels’ bus owned by one Javid from Vasco and found the information to be true.
Incidentally, the bus owner was plying his bus not within Mormugao but on a long distance route (Vasco-Margao route) for the last five months.
“I know that running a route bus without permits is incorrect. I have the route permit, but the same needs to be renewed. I had no time to get the route permit renewed. Now I will approach the RTO officials and get the same renewed,” said the bus operator in his defence.
The case of ‘Javid Travels’ raises a serious question on the effective enforcement of the law by the RTO officials.
When reporters questioned the Assistant Directorate of Transport, Vasco, Abhay Naik, he admitted that the issue “is serious and needs prompt action.”
“I will have to check whether the said bus operator has sought any route permit from Margao office. But surely there is no permit given to the bus to ply on the Vasco-Margao route,” he said.
“It is a serious issue. No one is allowed to ply a bus without route permit. I have asked my officers to conduct an enquiry and issue challan to the bus operator for illegally plying passenger buses on Vasco-Margao route. We have given permits to 12 applicants to ply on this route and if there are more such illegal operations then we are going to crack a whip on the same from Wednesday,” Naik told herald.
