Tourists damage rental cars, abandon vehicles, their IDs before fleeing Goa

Panaji: Tourists are abandoning rented vehicles after accidents or upon completion of rental periods without returning to collect their identification documents or clearing pending dues, leading to financial losses for operators. According to operators in the state, around 20%–25% of customers each month leave behind documents such as Aadhaar cards and voter ID cards with rent-a-cab providers.

North Goa Rent-A-Cab Association president Nitesh Chodankar said that in many cases, cars are left at airports or near the homestays, sometimes disappearing with the keys and no further contact.

“This is the major loss we face. We have to bear the insurance, loan instalments and the damage costs in such cases,” he told TOI.

However, legally, the operators cannot keep someone’s Aadhaar card or voter ID. “If they receive our calls, we offer to courier their cards provided they agree to pay for the damages. Some are willing, while others refuse, claiming to have influential police or bureaucratic relatives in Goa, or political contacts in their hometowns,” he added.

Goa’s rent-a-cab sector comprises over 6,000 vehicles operated by around 10 licensed holders under a common association.

To rent a vehicle, customers must fill out Form 5 with travel details and date of return, agree to terms and conditions, and document the vehicle’s condition via video before taking possession. They are also briefed on drink-and-drive rules by the staff.

Operators also collect a copy of the driver’s licence, full payment in advance, and a refundable deposit of Rs 3,000 for hatchbacks and Rs 5,000 for SUVs. Original govt-issued identification such as Aadhaar or voter ID is retained as proof of address.

“There is a need for standard operating procedures to be put in place for rent-a-cabs and rent-a-bikes to ensure that all systems are followed,” said activist and Goa consumer action network (GOACAN) coordinator Roland Martins. “The affected operators need to give a representation to the district road safety committee and flag this issue to take appropriate action against erring tourists,” he said.

Goa police DySP (traffic) Sudesh Narvekar said that the cases are reported to local police stations due to which the matter never gets escalated. “One can download a soft copy of the Aadhaar card and take multiple prints, therefore some tourists may not feel the need to return to pick it up. Rent-a-cab operators need not keep original documents, even photocopy or the Aadhaar number is fine,” he said.