Goa: Jeep Services To Dudhsagar Waterfalls Resume Amid Tense Standoff With Government Over Tourism Operations
Goa: Jeep Services To Dudhsagar Waterfalls Resume Amid Tense Standoff With Government Over Tourism Operations
Jeep services to Goa’s popular Dudhsagar waterfalls resumed on Sunday, following a breakthrough in negotiations between the state government and the Dudhsagar Tour Operators Association (DTOA). The agreement, reached late Saturday night, saw Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and DTOA leaders settle on terms that ended the prolonged standoff.
The dispute escalated earlier in the day when some jeeps began carrying tourists to the waterfall, sparking tense scenes in Collem as a faction of DTOA operators staged a chain hunger strike, demanding the closure of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) booking counter at Collem. Despite the settlement, operators initially resisted online bookings in favor of traditional offline arrangements, leading to confusion and frustration for tourists who had pre-booked tickets online.
In response, police and the Deputy Collector were deployed to Collem Bazaar to manage the situation as tensions ran high. Local businesses, including hotels and tea stalls, reported substantial losses due to the delayed start of the tourist season, with the dispute prolonging the suspension of jeep services.
For many villagers, Dudhsagar tourism has become a vital source of income since the cessation of mining activities over a decade ago. The jeep operators, however, remain resolute that services will fully normalize only when their demands for exclusive control over bookings are honored.
