Goa govt to squeeze tourists

For tourists thronging the beach paradise of Goa the state government’s 10-rupee cut in petrol prices a year ago was an unexpected windfall, but they are about find out that what you gain on the straight you lose on the bend, with the the government about to charge a steep entry fee to the state.

Acting on a suggestion from its transport department, the state government will start erecting toll plaza here in this border town with Karnataka.

Officials who were here for a spot inspection told DNA that they proposed to collect ` 250 from passenger car entering the State from Karnataka and Maharashtra, and ` 666 per passenger seat from commercial vehicles. They justified the hike, arguing that the entry tax for commercial vehicles charged by other states were even higher.

According to the officials, roughly 16,000 cars and 6,000 commercial vehicles enter Goa every month. Goods vehicles will be charged lesser, depending on the goods they carry and the tonnage and registered laden weight (RLW). Asked if the additional levies would not affect the tourism industry, the officials said tourists to Goa enjoyed many sops on goods and services. With no ore traffic coming into Goa from Karnataka following the Supreme Court restrictions on iron ore mining in its southern neigbour, the entry tax will sure be an added income to the state coffers, say the commercial tax authorities at Margao.