the goan I network
PORVORIM
Private tourist taxi operators from Saligao have requested Goa Housing Minister and Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar to support their objection to the GoaMiles taxi app and speed governors on taxis.
A delegation of private tourist taxi operators led by Laximan Korgaonkar met Salgaonkar at his office in Verem and claimed that app-based taxi services could work in metropolitan cities like Mumbai, but not in Goa.
Stating that most households have their own vehicles and hardly anyone would avail of the app-based taxi services, they said the government had introduced GoaMiles without a proper study of the matter and should reconsider its decision.
They also alleged that most drivers who have registered for the GoaMiles service are non-Goans.
Korgaonkar also mentioned to Salgaonkar that the transport department had made installation of speed governors on taxis compulsory with effect from August 1, failing which their permits are not being renewed.
“This issue is under discussion with the government and since Ganesh Chaturthi is around the corner, the government should give us a further extension of at least 3 months to install speed governors. Our delegation had met Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardessai in this connection, but he did not show much interest. The government needs to resolve our problem in the similar manner as it resolved the problem of liquor dealers,” said Korgaonkar.
Korgaonkar said the aggrieved private tourist taxi operators had also met Water Resources Minister Vinoda Palienckar, Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte and Deputy Speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, with all of them agreeing to support them in their grievance.
Salgaonkar explained that the issue of speed governors had not been made compulsory by the Goa government, but was a directive of the Supreme Court, adding that the issue needed to be solved within the framework of law.
Regarding the issue of GoaMiles, Salgaonkar said he would speak to his counterparts in this regard. Salgaonkar said he fully appreciated the problems of taxi operators and had always offered his support to them, reminding them that he had even attended a recent meeting at Azad Maidan in support of their demand.
