PANAJI
Even as the stage is set for commercial operations to begin at the Manohar International Airport by January 5, regulation of taxi services from there is shaping up to be the next big headache for the government of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
For the record, the much-publicised ‘Goa taxi app’ facilitated by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) and gone onstream is the only permitted taxi service at the new airport, the State government has said.
However, taximen and their associations are opposed to the plan.
Meanwhile on Thursday, Sawant warned that those creating obstruction to the smooth functioning of taxi services at the Manohar International Airport through the Goa Taxi app will be dealt with strongly.
“If they (taxi operators) want to run their taxis at Mopa they will have to join the app,” Sawant said.
Meanwhile, the government is making efforts to engage with the stakeholders and resolve the taxi imbroglio.
Sawant, along with the Pernem MLA Praveen Arlekar, held meetings with elected representatives including sarpanchas, panchas of Pernem and the Pernem Municipal Council representatives to convice them about the efficacy of the Goa taxi app.
Sawant said, he has asked the elected representatives to to convince the taxi operators from their respective areas but the ground reality seems different with the latter refusing to blink.
The meeting chaired by Sawant was called specifically to resolve the taxi imbroglio failed to meet its purpose as it was boycotted by the taxi unions with the authorities refusing to allow Sudip Tamhankar to represent one of the bodies.
Tamankar, meanwhile, claimed that providing a taxi counter at Mopa, particularly for the black-and-yellow cabs like in the case of the Dabolim airport and Margao railway station is mandated by law.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said, the government will take an overall review of the Mopa taxi operations on January 2 and accordingly decide the next course of action.
Khaunte claimed that over 1,000 taxi operators, including from Mandrem have already joined the Goa taxi app.
The minister also took a tough stand saying the “mafia raj” by some taxi operators will not be tolerated.
