PERNEM
Taxi operators called off their strike after agitating for six days in Pernem on Tuesday night, after receiving a written statement on assurances by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant agreeing to five of their six demands regarding the Manohar International Airport at Mopa.
According to reports, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) submitted a written assurance in the form of the minutes of meeting.
The written statement was then taken to Pernem and the agitating Pernem taxi operators convened a meeting, before they decided to call off their strike.
Earlier in the day, the taxi operators had continued their agitation for the sixth day as they insisted on a written assurance from the chief minister, who had agreed to five of their six demands during a meeting with a delegation of taxi operators on Monday.
They were informed that a written statement would be sent to them by Tuesday noon, but since there was no sign of the written statement, the taxi operators continued with their agitation.
Late Tuesday evening, a written statement was sent to the taxi operators and they later decided to end their agitation.
The five demands which have been agreed by the State government include removal of toll on the Airport Link road, lowering of parking fees from Rs 200 to Rs 80, increasing in the parking time, opening of the old route to and from airport and a free counter for local taxi operators at Mopa Airport.
The chief minister, however, refused the sixth demand of the local taxi operators to close down the counter of the GoaMiles app-based taxi service at Mopa airport.
