Ferry boat ride wont be free in Goa anymore

For those who loved the thrill of hopping on to a Goan ferry boat and enthuse themselves to back and forth  rides across rivers all over Goa may now have to pay a little fee to allow themselves these little flowing pleasures in Goa. Soon enough, the government of Goa has decided that vehicles such as two wheelers and four wheelers will be charged a higher fee besides normal passengers also being charged a nominal fee ranging from 50 paise to one rupee per person.

Till now passengers on ferry boats in Goa were allowed free travel but the latest announcement made by river navigation minister Mr Sudhin Dhavlikar to impose the fees will be effective from July 2009. From July, fees for all vehicles such as two wheelers, cars, pick-ups and trucks will be raised as the new measures are expected to help increase the revenue by about Rs 1.5 crore per annum.

However the residents of islands such as Chorao and Divar would be given a waiver of ferry charges after producing an identification card, such as a panchayat certificate stating the ward and village panchayat or an electoral photo identity card which would be accepted to allow passengers a free ride.

The measure to charge fees for people playing on ferries is also expected to ease the load on the Panjim - Chorao ferry which is currently used freely by people from Mayem, Bicholim and Sanquelim thereby burdening the people from Chorao who had to stand in long queues to avail of the ferry service and often ended up late to their destinations.