The private bus operators in Goa does not let go any single opportunity of fleecing the customers by overcharging them. This happens with each and every private operator who does not believe in issuing the tickets for the travel related services. Based on the government directives the Bus operators regardless of their routes should issue a ticket to the passengers but this seldom happens in Goa. According to the new development, the private bus plying on the city had made the good use of an opportunity of diversion due to the carnival floats in Panaji by fleecing the passengers to the core.
Based on the news published in the national daily the Times of India, one of the private bus operator playing the city bus route of Panaji to Donapaula made an easy way to fleece the customer. According to the sources, citing the reason of diversion via St. Cruz and Bhatulem due to Carnival parade the local city bus bearing the registration number GA-01-T- 94XX Panaji Dona Paula bus slapped the fare of Rs. 20/- per passenger for a ride to Campal and Miramar stops that are en route to the destination while the approved fare is only Rs. 8/- said the sources.
According to the reports, it was not alone the bus operators who were charging the exorbitant rates to the passengers but the motorcycle pilots were also busy fleecing the passengers by charging them exorbitant rates of Rs. 200 for the ride from Kadamba bus stand to Miramar via St. Cruz and with no other city bus in sight, passengers had no choice but to cough up the amount demanded a mere 8-km-long trip.
The most frustrated thing that passengers faced here was the no issuance of the tickets by the bus conductor for the high fare quoted by him and when the passengers confronted he revealed that the regional transport office (RTO PANAJI) wasn’t aware of the spike in fare and said that revolting passengers were free to get off the bus. “For a 12-km-long bus ride from Mapusa to Panaji, I pay 14. So it is obvious that this city bus has fleeced me for traveling a much shorter distance in the name of carnival diversions. I didn’t even get a ticket when I demanded one,” an irate citizen who works at Miramar, said.
This story does not end here, the response of an officer from Panaji RTO office will shock you further. According to the sources, when the media contacted RTO officer on this issue he discharged the allegations outrightly stating that there is an issue of overcharging arises here as it is the normal charge for the long route. “This is the normal charge for a longer route. Buses were diverted to Dona Paula via St Cruz, which is why there was a rise in fares,” said the RTO officer. Although he later added (perhaps realizing the mistake) saying that the RTO hadn’t issued instructions regarding revised bus fares for Saturday. “Citizens must file a complaint with the RTO and provide details of the bus in question and we will take action.”
Later on, the media got in touch with Mr. Sudeep Tamhankar of the All Goa Private Bus Owners Association, who said that he was not aware of any such thing, “I am not aware of the increase in fares. Bus operators must maintain the fare table issued by the RTO, which states they can only charge 8 up to four kilometers. Beyond that, the rate increases. The distressed citizens must complain to the Panaji RTO about this instance, as it is the appropriate authority to act in the matter.”
In this story, the passengers have virtually become a football which everyone keeps kicking into the others goal post. It is needless to mention here that, the private bus operators just like private taxi operators do not have the fear of any authority and they hardly seems to care about the consequences of the same. If any passenger tries to revolts against their style of working then they just drop that passenger in the middle of the road. The situation has reached to so much extreme that changing it, is next to impossible, and the best thing is to make use of their services with the lips sealed or get your own conveyance. Do you wish to share your comments on this serious issue?
