MARGAO
With local tourist taxi operators alleging connivance of staff of starred hotels and resorts in promoting GoaMiles taxi aggregator, the Cavelossim panchayat has resolved to call for an urgent meeting with the owners of the starred hotels/resort to demand protection of the interest of the local tourist taxi operators and their livelihoods.
The Cavelossim sarpanch has further demanded that the government give legal status for the tourist taxi stands at the starred hotels/resorts to protect taxi aggregators from picking up guests from the hotels.
A large number of tourist taxi operators from Cavelossim village called on Sarpanch Dixon Vaz, seeking his intervention to the blatant encroachment into their business in connivance with the front office staff of the hotels/resorts. They demanded that the panchayat use its influence with the owners of the starred hotels and resorts to protect the livelihoods of the local taxi operators.
Sympathising with the sentiments expressed by the local tourist taxi operators, Sarpanch Dixon said there is no doubt that the local tourist taxi operators operating from the taxi stands at the hotels/resorts should get the first priority in transporting the guests to their destinations. “Our tourist taxi operators have no problem if GoaMiles taxis drop customers to the hotels. But, what is objectionable is that these taxis park their vehicles near the hotels to collect guests, leaving the local tourist taxi operators high and dry,” he said.
Sharing the concern of the tourist taxi operators over the involvement of front office staff in arranging outside taxis for the hotel guests, Dixon said, “The hotel owners may not be involved in tourist taxi business. But, we have names of front office staff of some hotels who call the GoaMiles taxis for the customers. They can easily send the hotel guests to the local tourist taxi operators operating at the taxi stand outside.”
Saying he will immediately take up the matter with the hotel owners to resolve the issue, the Cavelossim sarpanch reminded that these hotels and resorts have come up in the village due to cooperation of the local villagers. “If these hotel owners are not ready to give the taxi business to the local self-employed youth, what is the use of having this tourism in the State, he asserted.
