Team Goemkarponn
Chorao,: Six days since the much-publicised launch of the Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry service at Chorao, commuters say chaos continues to define their daily travel, with no sign of promised improvements.
Bikers are bearing the brunt of the disarray, reporting long, unregulated queues and delays of up to an hour.
“We were told this would ease our commute, but it’s become worse than before,” said a daily commuter from Chorao.
The Goa government had earlier assured the public that a dedicated mobile application for digital pass issuance and payments would be operational at launch.
However, the app remains unavailable, forcing all users to rely on manual transactions — a process many describe as disorganised and prone to disputes.
Adding to the discontent, car owners, taxi operators and commercial vehicle drivers claim they are being charged full fares, despite prior promises of concessional rates or monthly passes.
“We were told there would be subsidised rates for frequent users, especially locals. But there’s been no sign of that — we’re paying the full fare every single time,”, a taxi driver from Panaji said
Authorities have remained tight-lipped on the delays, while ferry staff on-site say they are simply following instructions.
Locals fear the ongoing mismanagement will deter usage of the new service altogether, defeating its intended purpose of decongesting traffic and improving connectivity.
With no clear timeline for when the app will go live or fare issues will be resolved, commuters are calling for immediate intervention by the authorities to streamline operations and deliver on the promises made.
