It is welcome news that another taxi aggregator 'Apna Bhada' drove into Goa amid a raging war of taximen against app-based taxi services. 'Apna Bhada' has a fleet of only 22 taxis under its umbrella but assures a transparent and reasonable service. App-based services are the preferred choice across the world because they provide convenient and affordable options in sharp contrast to discriminatory pricing policies being followed by private taxis.
It is rather appalling that the government allows itself to be held at gun-point by the agitating taxi lobby with non-negotiable pre-conditions for talks. Instead of taking the issue head-on, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho is only buying time to reconcile knowing well that he cannot fulfil the key demand of the agitating taximen. Godinho, after a recent meeting, disclosed that talks with the agitating taxi operators were positive. We cannot understand why the government is going that extra mile with such reconciliatory moves? By discussing meters and assuring to stop the Goa Miles counter at the airport, the transport minister is only beating around the bush. These talks are not going to resolve the larger issue, no matter how hard ministers are going to educate taximen. The entire protest is about the scrapping of Goa Miles. Period. The options before the government are very clear and the issue cannot be handled with kid gloves anymore.
Recently, a video of a agitating taxi operator threatening a Goa Miles driver vent viral. It showed the aggregator being abused with filthy language and was warned of dire consequences at a pick-up point in North Goa. Even the intervention of tourists did not help. Goa Miles drivers have been consistently abused and even attacked. Last Friday, a private film shooting venue came under attack and cars parked at the venue were damaged.
The question is why is the government allowing this high-handedness of the taxi lobby and postponing the inevitable? Delaying decision-making on the taxi issue is only going to escalate the situation because the political class has now joined in. Political chicanery is playing out because legislators who had no spine to stand up in the legislative assembly and speak their minds on the taxi issue have suddenly found their voice is heard on the streets. Not a single MLA demanded scrapping of Goa Miles in the hallowed precinct of the House.
This issue has to be taken to its logical conclusion, the sooner the better. The Goemkar versus Goemkarponn narrative faces a tough test in the taxi issue, but the taximen cannot sit in judgement here. Goa has evolved, just like the rest of the world. Better services, ease and convenience, transparency, economics cannot be just ignored. Goa should open up to multiple options, including Ola and Uber and even others like 'Apna Bhada', irrespective of the size of the market. The government must encourage and support the agitating taximen by providing an app of their own. We live in a world where the traveller is the king, not the taximen. Monopolies in the guise of Goemkarponn must end.
