So the Russians are in the news again. To add to theiralready intense stranglehold over Morjim, Ashwem and Arambol over life ingeneral and business in particular , they have now started plying taxing fortheir country cousins, to beat the killer prices for taxi rides charged by thelocal taxi drivers, who are as big a “mafia” as the Russians. If the mafia isdefined as a force that controls an area or a business with its own set ofrules and a complete defiance of authority, then the taxi operators of Goa fitthat definition.
Hence the Times of India story, which reported that theRussians indeed running their parallel, albeit illegal taxi business, shouldn’tcome as a surprise. What is a surprise though, is the huge furore by the localtaxi drivers of their livelihoods being “snatched”. The crux of the problem inGoa is that the system never reacts, individuals do. When the Russians came intrickles and then hordes and started buying land in the name of Goan partners,who only had paper shares, no one complained. When they bought or constructedresorts and started welcoming tourists, the tourism industry didn’t think itfit to investigate if all was above board. When a section got involved in thedrug and prostitution racket no one complained. This has to be seen in abroader context. The reason is not far to seek. The taxi drivers werebeneficiaries of the Russian gravy. As “tourism” grew, from Morjim to Arambol,courtesy the Russians, the taxi business boomed with drivers on a looting spreecharging three hundred rupees for a half a kilometer ride. Unhindered by any rules of business and withno rate chart to follow they charged what they felt.
The current scenario of Russians literally taking the wheelsin their own hand needs to be stopped because uncontrolled businesses cannot beallowed, but let us make not make the mistake of believing that it’s alivelihood issue for our local boys. Let’s see this for what it is “ a directhit on the mafia type monopoly of the local taxi owners.
A solution lies not in moving the Russians out (though thatneeds to be done for different reasons), but in bringing our local sons of thesoil into a disciplined regulatory framework. This will broadly encompass thefreedom of choice of the traveler/tourist to use any form or make of transport(car, bus, taxi or two wheeler) or category (private vehicles or for hirevehicles), Secondly, regulation will entail taxi meters and by associationcontrolled and fixed rates. And thirdly, regulation will ensure the freedom forany taxi in Goa to travel to and from any other territory as the case in therest of India.
As for the Russians, the running taxis is the least of ourproblems, considering that so many of their activities have escaped any radarof scrutiny. Let’s look at that first.
