PANAJI
Concerns over a possible law and order situation owing to restrictions on tourist taxi operators at the Manohar International Airport (MIA), Mopa, and the failure to provide jobs to those who surrendered their land for the airport’s construction are two main reasons that led to the enforcement of prohibitory orders by the Collector.
The government has finally revealed these reasons while conceding problems at Mopa. A report by the Superintendent of Police, North, submitted details of a meeting of the taxi owners and Pernem locals at Mopa Airport Police Station in December 2023 about not providing an exclusive counter to them.
“The taxi owners have opposed the operation of App-based taxi service at Mopa Airport. The taxi owners grieve that the GMR. and other companies located at Mopa recommend the tourists arriving at the Airport to use the services of specific counters due to which the local taxi owners are financially suffering. So also local taxi operators are restricted to directly approach the customers at the Airport,” reads the report, which was recently submitted to the Collector followed by the order.
The report also highlights another grievance by the ‘local landowners who had sacrificed their land for the functioning of MIA are also demanding that 80 percent job promise’ as assured by the government prior to the commissioning of the airport.
An official said that the villagers are upset that this assurance is not fulfilled.
With the taxi operators and villagers of Mopa, Warkhand, Nagzar and Chandel villages frequently gathering in front of the airport gate with these demands “ resulting in traffic jams and inconvenience to the visitors, the SP sought imposition of Section 144 CrPC.
“…from the recent developments, it appears that there is a possibility that the taxi owners and villagers of Mopa, Warkhand, Nagzar and Chandel may gather in groups to show their displeasure and may create disturbance in the smooth functioning of the airport which may further hamper the reputation of the State and country,” the report said.
Accepting the report, the Collector imposed Section 144 CrPC till March-end stating it is to prevent the disturbance of public peace as well as the gathering of people in groups at MIA.
