the goan I network
VASCO
Local taxi operators who are a part of the registered taxi union under GTDC agitated on Tuesday, after several coaches were sent by starred hotels to the cruise terminal to pick up passengers arriving from Mumbai by the domestic cruise ship Angriya.
Taxi operators have alleged that hotels send coaches with a letter which has no authority and after getting it stamped by Mormugao Police, the coaches then proceed to the cruise terminal.
Taxi operators have threatened to agitate and block buses if prior information about the arrival of coaches is not provided to the taxi union and their approval is not taken up prior to sending coaches to the cruise terminal.
Taxi operators informed that while a letter on Tuesday showed permission for 5 buses, in reality nine coaches had arrived from a starred hotel and took away almost all passengers arriving from Mumbai.
“They brought fourextra buses. We have 100 taxi cars in our union and these guys just take away all passengers. Not a single car has taken a passenger. We usually get our number once in three days and to make matters worse, coaches from hotels have begun arriving here,” complained a furious Taxi operator Manoj Navelkar.
Another taximan, Deepak Kavlekar, said the taxi operators had convened a joint meeting with the GTDC, where it was decided that there could be a ratio of 60:40 and it was also decided that no tempo traveler vehicles would visit the cruise terminal to pick up
passengers.
“However despite the meeting with Nilesh Cabral and his assurances, nothing has changed and today, coaches have eaten up all our
business.”
“There has been no follow up and if coaches take away all the passengers then what is the point of having a union? Cars from other places also arrive here and take passengers. We are working on rates approved by GTDC, which are the cheapest and yet, we have no business,” said Kavlekar.
Suchit Parab, another taxi operator, complained that coaches arrive at the cruise terminal on the basis of letters which have no approvals or stamp of GTDC.
“They just arrive here without informing us and take away our business. We will not tolerate this any more and hence forth, our demand is that we have to be informed in advance and coaches have to take our approvals also.”
“This cannot be allowed. We will not allow any coaches to take away our business based on letters issued by a hotel. We will decide how many coaches can be allowed nor any coach will be allowed without approval,”
said Suchit Parab.
