RTO will act against rent-a-cars without speed governors: Mauvin

Special Correspondent

Panaji

The Transport Department will launch a crackdown on rent-a-car vehicles that do not have speed governors installed as part of efforts to curb the rising number of road accidents in Goa, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said on Friday.

Godinho said that legal action would be taken against rent-a-car owners who have failed to install speed governors.

“The drivers of rent-a-car vehicles are driving recklessly and need to be stopped from driving at very high speeds,” he said.

He said that instances of number plates being changed on such vehicles had also been noticed and that directions had been issued to the police
to take action.

The minister said that multiple offences involving rent-a-car vehicles would result in cancellation
of permits.

Godinho also announced that Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based cameras would be installed at 26 key locations across the state to
curb speeding.

“These cameras will become operational from July 1,” he said, adding, “We will also create awareness about the camera locations.”

He said that the government has consciously not issued new licences for rent-a-car vehicles over the last two years.  On traffic signals at the Merces junction, he said that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Smart City Mission. The revenue generated through fines under the AI-based enforcement mechanism will be channelled towards road safety initiatives and
infrastructure measures.

Godinho, who also holds the Panchayati Raj portfolio, said that garbage management at the village level is the responsibility of panchayats.  He added that the department would issue a fresh circular in this regard.