After CM meet, Dudhsagar tour operators rev up jeeps

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant held a meeting with jeep operators, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) chairman Ganesh Gaonkar, and chairperson of the Goa Forest Development Corporation (GFDC) Deviya Rane to understand jeep operators’ concerns.
Rane said jeep safaris, which usually commence on Oct 2, are yet to start because the withdrawal of the monsoon was delayed.“Usually, the tours start in the first week of Oct, but this time the state got heavy rainfall,” Rane said. “Because of the rains, roads were destroyed. We could not start repairing the roads, but now we are working overtime to do so.”
While Rane blamed the monsoon, Dudhsagar Tour Operators’ Association said GTDC’s online booking portal is the cause of the delay. The local tour operators appear unwilling to start operations this season until Sawant provides an assurance that the online booking system is stopped.
The operators have also been protesting for several months over additional fees being levied by GTDC and GFDC.
“The tour operators have some issues, some queries and questions, which the chief minister has resolved. By next week, the jeep tours will start at Dudhsagar,” Rane said.
She did not clarify whether govt has agreed to the demands raised by the jeep operators. She said the forest department has been unable to repair the roads that lead to Dudhsagar because of the rainfall.
“If the roadwork gets done in the next few days, we can start by this weekend,” Rane said. Gaonkar said he has requested the tour operators to commence operations and teething problems, if any, will be resolved in due course.
“Right now, we are awaiting the report of the forest department and then we can start the tours once the roads are ready,” Gaonkar said.