the goan I network
VASCO
Angry after some cruise passengers were recently transported in a police vehicle to the port while returning to their cruise ship, the Mormugao Port Tourist Taxi Union (MPTTU) has blamed a Sada-based social activist for their ordeal.
The MPTTU has now demanded stringent action against the social activist, who was allegedly caught by Traffic Police for supposedly transporting foreign tourists, who had arrived by a cruise ship in his private car.
Addressing a news conference on Thursday, MPTTU members alleged that the same social activist and others had approached Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho demanding the cancellation of their taxi counter at the cruise terminal, after claiming that the taxi business at the cruise terminal was illegal.
Narrating the sequence of events, MPTTU President Sanjay Kanoji said the Traffic Police had allegedly caught the social activist with foreign guests inside a private car at the Cortalim Circle.
“The police attached the car and took it to the Vasco police station. The guests were later taken in a police vehicle to the cruise terminal at the port to enable them to get back to their cruise ship. The incident was allegedly reported on December 25, when a cruise ship had arrived in the port,” Kanoji said.
“This social activist had alleged that taxi unions were hassling passengers when actually it is people like him who had troubled guests and indulged in illegal trips in private cars.”
“While leaving from the cruise terminal, the aggrieved cruise tourists abused us and said they would tell everyone on the ship and all their friends back home not to travel to Goa or move around in taxis,” said Kanoji.
Stating that the action of the social activist had shamed the image of Goa and all taxi operators across Goa, Kanoji said the transport department must cancel his driving license and RC book, as a deterrent to others indulging in such illegal activities.
Another member, Govind Navelkar, sought to know what action the transport minister would take against the social activist.
“The cruise tourists had to face a lot of inconvenience because of him. They practically had to wait for around one hour at the Cortalim Circle before they could be dropped back in a police vehicle. Who would want to come back to Goa again with such a harrowing experience,” asked Navelkar.
“Everywhere, taxi operators are described as mafia, but these people who engage in illegal transportation of guests are the main culprits.”
