Panaji
Asked to comment on the present taxi scenario in the state, Cabral said that while the demand to introduce Ola and Uber was not being considered by the state government, there was no reason why GTDC would not have its own app.
“We will develop our own app and taxis can be booked through the app. We will not allow Ola and Uber… we are not considering that. GTDC will have its own service,” Cabral said. When asked about the fate of the women taxi service launched with much fanfare by the GTDC, Cabral said that it was continuing just as it was when it began.
“We started with ten and the number continues to be the same. It has not grown, but the service continues,” he said.
Meanwhile, the online petition to bring online cab aggregators Ola and Uber into the state has crossed the milestone of 5,000 signatures and is well on course to reach its next milestone of 7,500 signatures within the next two days. The petition has initiated a fierce debate over the attitudes and practices of taxi drivers in the state.
“Even today you can book a cab driven by a woman driver through our website or booking service,” Cabral said.
The petition initiated by Non Resident Goan Mahesh Sardesai is a bid to highlight the efficiency of cab aggregators as opposed to the ‘gundagiri’ and cartelisation offered by the local taxi lobby.
“Tourism is the backbone of Goa’s economy and tourists across the world and India are used to services like OLA/UBER, it’s time to allow them to operate in Goa. Goan taxi drivers never use the taxi meters required by law and charge exorbitant rates for their services,” Sardesai said.
He argues that with cheaper commuting brought through taxi aggregators more people including locals will begin to use the taxis resulting in less people using their own cars thereby lesser crowding of cities, lesser parking problems, better security and a better overall environment.
