Karwar: The state government of Goa is said to have decided to charge toll fee on all vehicles entering its territory at the boundary toll plaza with effect from June 1. A huge hoarding displaying the ‘menu’ for different classes of vehicles has already been put up at the boundary town of Polem between Goa and Karnataka.
A ‘warm’ welcome to Goa – the toll ‘menu’ at Polem post
The Goa government had introduced the toll about two years ago. However, exemption had been given to vehicles from peripherial towns like Karwar, Sindhudurg, Belagavi and the like. According to the new order, the exemption would be withdrawn with effect from June 1.
Monthly passes with 50% discount and and quarterly multiple entry passes with 40% discount will be available for regular road-users, according to public works department officials of Goa from June 1.
The toll system was introduced by the Goa government in February 2013. Then Goa would have suffered because the transport operators’ bodies from Karwar threatened to stop plying from Karwar to Goa.
A large part of milk, dairy products, vegetables, fish, rice, wheat and other essentials is being supplied from here every day. Hence an exemption was given to vehicles from Karwar and around.
However, the latest decision to charge all vehicles has angered the trasport operators from here and they have said that they might be forced to stop supply of milk, vegetables etc. as a mark of protest against the toll system.
Leaders of Kannada organizations from here have recalled that former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar had assured that toll would not be charged on Karwar-based vehicles.
They have pointed out that there are a large number of vehicles bearing Goa registration plying in Karwar. They should be sent out and also a toll plaza should be set up by Karnataka government at the Karwar boundary to collect toll from vehicles from Goa.
Hope this will pave the way for The Karnataka Government to levy similar taxes in respect of all vehicles (registered in Goa) entering Karnataka Border.