PANAJI: The ambitious project of Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s (GTDC) ‘Duck Tours’ (amphibious bus) appears to be ‘submerged’ as there is no clarity on the status of the project.

According to the information provided by GTDC, Amphibious Tours Private Limited, the agency selected to introduce the services in Goa, has obtained a registration certificate from the Captain of Ports and Road Transport Office. The approvals from the Automotive Research Association of India and Ministry of Roads Transport and Highways have also been granted to the agency and now it is awaiting permission from the local commercial tax department to commence the operations.

On the other hand, Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar had a different story to tell, in a written reply to the state assembly on August 2, 2018.

He had said that as the process of obtaining the permissions took a considerable amount of time, the selected bidder lost confidence in the project and backed out from the said project. He had said that as a result, the agreement executed with the Amphibious Tours Private Limited was terminated by GTDC and the performance security deposit of Rs 10 lakh has been forfeited.

Ajgaonkar had also stated on the floor of the House that the project would be retendered and a new bidder would be selected.

However, the information sought under the Right to Information Act by this reporter from GTDC about the status of the project does not mention about the termination of the agreement with Amphibious Tours Private Limited or retendering of the project. Instead, it states that this agency is awaiting permission from commercial tax department to commence the operations. The GTDC has also not provided information about any other agency, if any, which may have shown interest in this project.

It is, therefore, not clear whether the information obtained under RTI is correct or the reply given by Ajgaonkar in the state assembly is right.

According to informed sources, the two amphibious buses, which were supposed to be put into operation under the Duck Tour project, have been sold by the agency to a party in Mumbai and another in Punjab.

It is also learnt that the Andhra Pradesh government has shown interest in launching this service in that state and has also approached the agency. Sources said that the agency is now no more interested in starting such an operation in Goa.