Goa Plans To Stop New Rental Thar Licences Amid Rise In Road Accidents

Last Updated:July 07, 2026, 09:28 IST

The development came after a series of accidents involving rented Thar vehicles, particularly those driven by tourists.

The Goa government is considering restricting the issuance of new licences for Thar vehicles in the rent-a-car sector amid rise in road accidents involving the SUVs, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho has said.

Godinho said that the proposal would be placed before the State Transport Authority (STA), which will take a final decision.

“We are concerned about the rising number of accidents and a discussion was held on the reasons and how to curb them. As far as Thar vehicles are concerned, we are going to restrict issuing new licences to operators of rental Thar vehicles…and it is going to come up in the next STA meeting and they will decide what action has to be taken," the minister said as reported by news outlets.

He said the government would have completely banned Thar vehicles from the rental fleet if it was legally possible, adding that the move was aimed at improving public safety. He added that the decision was taken in the interest of public safety, as concerns have been raised over the increasing involvement of rental Thars in road accidents.

The development came after a series of accidents involving rented Thar vehicles, particularly those driven by tourists. In May, a 32-year-old man was killed and a minor was severly injured after a rented Thar allegedly hit their scooter in North Goa. Police later found the tourist driving the vehicle was allegedly under the influence of alcohol. In February, a 65-year-old tourist from Madhya Pradesh died after a rented Thar allegedly rammed into his car in North Goa.

Godinho said the transport department will also conduct an audit of rent-a-car operators to verify whether they comply with licensing norms, including adequate parking facilities. Authorities will intensify checks on the installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) and speed governors in rental vehicles.

The minister also announced stricter action against drunken driving. Drivers found under the influence of alcohol and involved in fatal road accidents will be arrested immediately, while vehicle providers will also face action wherever applicable.

The transport department has also detected widespread tampering of mandatory speed governors in rental vehicles. More than 200 cases have been booked since June, with operators allegedly disconnecting the devices or installing hidden switches to bypass speed restrictions. Violators face a fine of Rs 10,000 and possible suspension of permits for repeat offences.

In another road safety measure, Godinho said AI-powered traffic cameras installed at 26 locations across Goa will begin issuing e-challans from July 15.

Until then, motorists violating traffic rules will receive only awareness messages instead of penalties, allowing the public to familiarise themselves with the new enforcement system.

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Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre...Read More

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