Transfer vehicle registration to Goa or pay entry tax, states Goa’s new Highway Rules
The recent draft notification of Goa highway rules imposingentry tax on vehicles entering the state may trigger a storm among the public,though a period of 15 days has been granted to submit suggestions andobjections to the government.
The huge population from outside the state, which resides inGoa for years, have to either pay the entry tax or transfer their vehicles toGoa. The notification says that private two wheelers along with government andVIP vehicles will be exempted from the entry tax, but what about the number ofcommercial and transport vehicle that are already paying taxes in the state?
“The vehicles that are paying road tax in Goa will not haveto pay the additional tax. Necessary changes will be done in the notification,”said Arun Desai, Director of Transport.
He said the changes should be to the extent of charginglocal vehicles including transport, which are already paying tax in Goa.Vehicles that pay permit fees and passenger tax should also be exempted, headded. However objections and suggestions to the notification has to reach tothe office of Secretary to the government of Goa, Public Works Department andSecretariat before the expiry of fifteen days from the date of publication ofthe notification.
The notification is issued by the PWD and the transportdepartment is only the implementing authority.
In the current scenario it will be mandatory for non Goans,who are settled in Goa with vehicles of other states’ registration, to transfertheir vehicles within one month of the implementation of the said notification.
“If they fail to transfer the vehicles, then they will haveto pay the new tax,” the transport director said. However, he said, to traceGoans who have Goa registered vehicles and have settled outside the state is adifficult task. It is mandatory to transfer vehicles, if you stay more for thanone month at one place, according the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, thedirector added.
The Mumbai-Mangalore highway, which passes through Goa is animportant commercial road connecting more than four states. A large number ofvehicles that use this highway have national permits. These vehicles pay thenational highway tax and the new tax regime in Goa will be an additional burdenon them.
The state roads are comparatively narrow and withoutdividers in most parts of the state. Lack of dividers has led to increase inincidents of head-on collisions. The average speed on these highways iscomparatively less compared to speed on better highways.
“The necessary infrastructure for Goan roads can be plannedonly when data of all vehicles visiting or passing through the state iscompiled,” the director said. He said government will earn Rs 50 crore incomeannually with the implementation of the new tax. The said amendment will helpin tracing vehicles that pass through Goa. It will also help the investigatingor intelligence agencies. According to Desai, all check posts will be centrallyconnected to the main server.
Regional RTO officers will carry out random checks and “taxpaid” stickers will be tagged on vehicles, showing the date and expiry of thevalid permit to travel in Goa.
The interstate transportation cost will increase after theimplementation of the said notification, which may have a ripple effect on thecost of essential commodities and vegetables.
In that case, transporters will not be the only ones toshell out more money, the public may also have to pay more as transporters maypass on the extra cost to the public.
