PERNEM
It is not common to find dozens of white tourist vehicles lined up along the Patradevi check post and so, public attention was quickly drawn to the long queue of vehicles awaiting permission to enter the State on Monday morning.
However, the purpose behind the sudden arrival of about 50 vehicles was soon revealed and this did not go down well with tourist taxi drivers in Pernem taluka.
According to sources, the Election Commission has requisitioned the services of 50 tourist vehicles for election duty and these vehicles were reportedly brought in from Mumbai.
The 50 vehicles were initially stopped by authorities at the Patradevi border check post as they did not have the necessary permit to enter the State, but were later allowed to cross the border and proceed to their destination in the State.
When contacted, some drivers of these vehicles said their tourist taxis were pressed into service by the Election Commission for a period of about one month.
However, taxi operators were upset over the decision to bring in tourist vehicles from outside the State.
“Why should the business be given to non-Goans when such vehicles are readily available in the State,” asked a visibly agitated tourist taxi leader President Sanjay Kole.
“The tourist taxi business is one of the few businesses left for local people. There has been no business due to the Covid pandemic for two years and to make matters worse, when there is business, it is being given to non-Goans.”
Another taxi operator also accused hotel owners of intentionally avoiding local taxis and giving preference to private vehicles.
