MARGAO
Ahead of the new tourism season, tourist taxi operators from Saxtti countryside sounded the bugle that they would not remain silent, if GoaMiles and other taxi aggregators encroach into their business -- the starred resorts and hotels dotting along the coastal belt.
GoaMiles, on the other hand, maintained that they have the right to pick and drop customers anywhere across the State, including hotels along the coastal belt. The taxi aggregator, however, said they have understood the sentiments of the tourist taxi operators along the coastal belt, promising to work out an amicable solution.
As the two sides are expected to resume the battle for a share of the tourist taxi business cake, the Goa police have warned that taxi operations need to be carried out as per rules, warning that they would not tolerate anyone breaking the law.
Representatives of the tourist taxi operators from Salcete coastal belt led by MLA Venzy Viegas, Cavelosism Sarpanch Dixon Vaz, Varca deputy Sarpanch Roland Fernandes had a meeting with Colva Police station in-charge, PI Theron D’Costa and the Chief Operation Officer GoaMiles Hemant Prabhudesai on Saturday to discuss the tourist taxi trade and the need to maintain law and order in the interest of the visitors and protect Goa’s image as a safe tourism destination.
Benaulim MLA Venzy told media that the government should take care so that the traditional tourist taxi operators are not displaced from their business. “The government cannot sideline the tourist taxi operators who have helped build and promote tourism over the years. Just because you have launched a new product, you cannot displace and sideline the traditional stakeholders”, Venzy said.
Venzy and the tourist taxi operators made it clear to the police and GoaMiles that they will not mind if the taxi aggregators do general business, but have conveyed a message that they will not allow the new players to encroach into their business at hotels and resorts.
“We have told the new taxi aggregators to stay away from the hotels and resorts. The local tourists taxi operators presently do business outside the resorts and hotels and the designated taxi stands. We are ready for a digital platform, but it should be only for the local tourists taxi operators”, Venzy said.
Warning that the tourist taxi operators would not remain silent if the GoaMiles taxis encroach in their territory, Venzy warned that locals would hold protests and demonstrations if the interests of the locals is not protected.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz said the very livelihood of the local tourist taxi operators will be at stake if the taxi aggregators are allowed to encroach in their business territory. “First GoaMiles and others encroached at the airports and other places. Now they have set their eyes on the hotels for customers. If successfully, it will spell doom for the local tourist taxi operators”, he said.
Varca Deputy Sarpanch Roland Fernandes said the local tourists taxi operators have invested big money in the tourist taxi vehicles as per the requisition made by the resorts and hotels. “The operators will not be able to repay loans if GoaMiles and other aggregators are allowed to make forays in the coastal belt”, he warned.
