PANAJI
The taxi strike completed its sixth day at the iconic Azad Maidan in the capital city on Wednesday where wives and children of the taximen joined in the protest dharna.
Scrapping of the government facilitated Goa Miles app-based taxi aggregator which began operations in 2018 is the main demand of the striking taxi operators.
The striking taxi operators have warned of intensifying their agitation if the State government fails to take a decision on their demands by Thursday.
Meanwhile tourists continue to face hardships as the taxi strike showed no signs of ending.
Leaders of the taxi unions and associations meanwhile are claiming that GoaMiles is a scam with the government trying to slip in corporate entities in the taxi sector.
The taximen on the other hand are often accused of overcharging and resisting government regulation including the installation of digital fare meters which was mandated by a recent Bombay High Court order.
GoaMiles has a counter at the Dabolim airport and its service too has left many unsatisfied with its reach in rural areas of the State erratic and even non-existent.
Interestingly another attempt by the Goa government to introduce app-based taxi service aggregator was aborted in 2014 when the then government of the late Manohar Parrikar had sought to introduce Ola taxi services. Violent protests by private taxi operators at the five-star resort in Panaji where the launch of the service was planned had prompted the government to retreat then.
GoaMiles flouted rules, will not remain at the Airport: Godinho
VASCO: Stating that GoaMiles had flouted rules and regulations, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Wednesday said the app-based taxi service would not remain at Goa Airport.
“It was wrong to have given counters at the airport to GoaMiles, which is now trying to uproot existing taxi operators at the airport and this will not be tolerated. Injustice has been done to taxi operators at the airport after the launch of GoaMiles,” Godinho told reporters.
“During the initial meeting after the launch of GoaMiles, many legislators said they would not allow GoaMiles in their constituencies and finally, they landed at the airport where there was already a dedicated taxi stand for existing taxi operators.”
“Slowly, GoaMiles started to operate like airport taxi operators and also began soliciting customers at the airport and this is not how an aggregator operates.”
“Aggregators operate on a digital platform where rides are booked online and having a stand and a counter at the airport to solicit customers itself shows that GoaMiles has flouted rules and regulations, under which they were granted permission to operate in the State," said Godinho.
The minister said those who had brought in GoaMiles after facing shortage of drivers had also indulged in misinterpretation of a court decision.
“They removed the batch system for taxi drivers which required 15 years compulsory domicile and today, anyone without basic knowledge on locations in Goa can also become a taxi driver. Some drivers don't even know Konkani properly and this cannot be accepted," said Godinho.
Parties must not make taxi agitation political: Minister
VASCO: Claiming that the State government was willing to listen sympathetically to various issues of the agitating taxi operators, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said other political parties must refrain from taking political mileage from the taxi agitation.
"This is not about BJP vs pther parties, but is about survival of tourism. Some union leaders are being instigated by political parties and this is not right because this should not be made into a political agitation.”
“This will not take the issue anywhere. The best way is to discuss the issues with the government and resolve through discussions and negotiations.”
“If we scrap GoaMiles and if they go to court, it will be even worse a situation for taximen and everyone," cautioned Godinho.
Godinho said the government would come down very strongly against indiscipline.
"Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has also said that people will not be allowed to take law into their hands and I will also be firm on this. We will also take action under MV Act on permit holders who abuse and beat other taxi drivers.”
Taxi fares will be revised before installing meters: Godinho
VASCO: Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said taxi fares would be revised to benefit taxi operators before installation of meters.
"The taxi fares, which were framed in 2014, will be changed and revised. Once the revised rates are set up, taxi business will be a viable livelihood for everyone.”
“The taximen must also understand that they are already in contempt of court against the high court order to install meters,” said Godinho.
GSIA backs app-based taxi service
VASCO: Even as local taxi operators are agitating to demand the scrapping of the GoaMiles app-based taxi service, the Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) has fully supported the app-based taxi service in the State.
In a press release, GSIA said the government should not only ensure that GoaMiles continues, but should also allow any other app-based taxi service aggregators such as Ola, Uber etc., to operate in Goa.
"It is a known fact that taxi operators, in the absence of digital meters and monitoring of taxi fares, are fleecing tourists as well as locals who avail taxi services in Goa by overcharging with arbitrary fares. This has brought a bad name to Goa, at both national and international levels, as a preferred tourist destination.”
"In Goa, we do not have a reliable public transport and hence, there is a need for some affordable transport service. If Goa wants to promote tourism, this kind of app-based taxi services are a must as a seamless and convenient mode of travel,” stated the GSIA.
Agreeing with the government’s move to install digital meters on all taxis in the State, the GSIA said this step would bring in transparency and would also improve the image of the State.
"App-based aggregators offer convenient transport services. We have observed that if any of the suppliers or clients of the industrial unit comes to Verna Industrial Estate, they complain of being overcharged by taxi operators.”
“Also, if any of our clients stay in some hotel, we are not allowed to go and pick them up by this taxi lobby. This cannot happen in any democratic country, where people should have the right to choose their means of transport."
"We urge the Government not to succumb to pressure tactics of taxi unions and instead, adopt a long-term approach that is in the interest of the State and the tourism sector.”
“We feel the taxi operators in Goa could launch an app-based cab aggregator in their own interest and in the interest of the State, which will receive good support from the locals as well as the tourists coming to Goa," added the GSIA.
Churchill opposes GoaMiles service
MARGAO: Demanding that the government make domicile compulsory for taxi drivers, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao asked if the government has any mechanism to identify if any Pakistani national is driving taxis in Goa.
Coming out openly against App-based taxi service, Churchill said GoaMiles taxis are on Goan roads because of the patronage extended by the political godfathers. “Goa Miles are displacing our Goan tourist taxi drivers from the business. This has to stop immediately before the tourist taxi business is taken over by outsiders and the locals rendered unemployed,” he said.
While asserting that the tourist taxis are charging fares notified by starred hotels, Churchill said let GoaMiles ferry local customers and leave the tourist taxi business to local drivers.
Morjim VP, ZP members back local taximen
PERNEM: A group of taxi operators from Morjim on Monday visited the local panchayat office voice their objections to the GoaMiles app-based taxi service.
Morjim Deputy Sarpanch Amit Shetgaonkar, panchas Mukesh Gadekar and Prakash Shirodkar, who were present at the meeting, expressed their support to the local taxi operators. Morjim ZP member Satish Shetgaonkar also pledged his support to the local taxi operators who have been agitating against the GoaMiles taxi service.
Accusing the State government of being against the local taxi operators, Tourist Taxi Owners Association President Sanjay Kole said the State government had done grave injustice to local taxi drivers by bringing in GoaMiles.
“The pandemic has already affected us so much and to add to our misery, much of our business are being stolen by GoaMiles drivers. The State government, Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte, DyCM and Tourism Minister Babu Ajgaonkar are busy trying to please taxi operators from outside Goa,” complained Kole.
Another local taxi operator complained that they have taken bank loans to buy vehicles and they were unable to pay instalments on account of inadequate trips.
While pledging his support to the local taxi operators, ZP member Satish Shetgaonkar said, “I fully support local taxi owners. Since the past several months, they have been protesting against GoaMiles and the government should resolve their problems.”
