VASCO
Following the recent closure of the GoaMiles counter at Airport, taxi operators have now demanded action on touting activities and private rent-a-car services at the airport.
Addressing media persons in Vasco, members of the United Taximen Union (UTU), an association of around 300 Yellow-Black taxis operating at Dabolim Airport, thanked the State government and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho for shutting down the GoaMiles airport counter and providing the union with an additional counter, as well as offering incentives and schemes to the taximen.
"There is yet another counter at the Airport that offers car rentals and maxi car services. We did raise an objection because of certain clauses in the tender but the matter is sub-judice,” said All Goa Yellow Black Taxi Association President Sanjay Naik.
“We have also written to the RTO and other departments regarding private rent-a-car services where customers are given vehicles just outside the airport gate. These services require to operate from an office as per their permit conditions and their vehicles are to be offered from that office and not outside the Airport," said Naik.
UTU President Vidyanand Divkar said the UTU members were the first to agitate in their struggle against GoaMiles since 2018 and said justice was finally delivered to them.
UTU member Prasad Prabhugaonkar demanded stringent action against touting at Goa Airport.
"These outsiders must not be allowed to interfere or solicit customers because if anything goes wrong with the ride of the illegal taxis, the customer will blame the airport taxi and our reputation could be tarnished.”
“Some time these outsiders fleece tourists and convince them that outside taxi is cheaper, but in reality they force customers to pay twice or thrice the price. Then, the airport taxi service is labelled as most expensive, without our fault," said Prabhugaonkar.
