Special stickers to save tourists from harassment by Goa traffic cops

Panaji, March 4 (IANS) To prevent tourists driving in Goa from being harassed by traffic cops, incoming vehicles will be provided with a special sticker at the state's borders, which will indicate that all vehicle documents are in order, Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said on Wednesday."Tourists are being harassed by traffic policemen, who randomly stop them and impose fines. Tourists should not be harassed. Those who are wearing helmets on two-wheelers should not be stopped," Ajgaonkar told reporters in Panaji. "If someone is drunk, or has violated rules, the police can act against them. But tourists cannot just be randomly stopped and harassed. From now on, documents of cars not registered in Goa will be checked at border entry points and given a sticker to be stuck on the screen," the Tourism Minister said.The sticker, Ajgaonkar said, will be an indication to the traffic police, that all documents of the vehicle are in order and the tourists need not be stopped by local traffic police for document verification.The issue of harassment of tourists has been discussed on several occasions by ruling and opposition MLAs in the state assembly in the recent years.
In 2019, Goa attracted more than seven million tourists.
--IANS maya/prs