VASCO
Despite stiff opposition from local taxi operators, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Saturday said the GoaMiles app-based taxi counter would be inaugurated at Dabolim Airport next week.
Godinho’s statement comes barely a day after neighbouring Karnataka had declared app-based cab and bike aggregators including Ola, Uber and Rapido as “illegal” and asked them to discontinue their auto services in Karnataka within the next three days.
Godinho was speaking to reporters after inaugurating an eye camp at Dabolim in the presence of Sancoale ZP Anita Thorat, Chicalim Sarpanch Kamla Prasad Yadav and others.
“Karnataka may have banned Ola and Uber and that is their issue and not ours. We already have a GoaMiles taxi app which has a contract with the tourism department for 25 years and I will inaugurate the GoaMiles taxi counter at Dabolim airport next week,” said Godinho.
“We have to abide by the High Court decisions and we can start the GoaMiles counter. We can take a call on launching Ola and Uber at a later stage.”
“People want an app-based taxi and if taxi operators don’t want to get the app, they can openly join the GoaMiles app because with both counters side by side, there will be good business synergy and people will get a choice of using prepaid and postpaid taxi. We will have to get an app-based taxi because we have to abide by the High Court,” said Godinho.
Responding to a query on the Mopa airport, the minister said it is a private airport which wants to give people all kind of service options.
“We cannot stop them from using Ola and Uber and after the issues in Karnataka, they may take a call but we cannot interfere there,” said Godinho.
