PANAJI
Multiple issues related to regulation of the controversial taxi business in the State, particularly the high-pitched conflict between traditional taxi operators and the seemingly government-backed app-based aggregator ‘Goa Miles’, dominated the discussion on the demands for grants for the Transport Department in the current financial year.
A number of legislators, both from the treasury as well as Opposition benches, said the traditional tourist taxi operators do have some genuine issues and demanded that Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho resolve some of these.
MLAs from five parties -- AAP’s Venzy Viegas, RGP’s Viresh Borkar, MGP’s Jit Arolkar, BJP’s Rudolf Fernandes, Sankalp Amonkar and Digambar Kamat and Congress’ Carlos Ferreira -- urged the government to bring all parties in the taxi drivers v/s Goa Miles conflict on the negotiating table and resolve some of the issues causing the disturbances.
The toll on the link road to NH66 and the high parking fees at the Mopa airport, the various annual fees that taxi drivers have to pay the RTO, the speed governors issue and the fair-rate meters, were some of the issues raised by the taxi operations which the legislators said have to be discussed and resolved with the stakeholders.
Along with the grievances and issues of the taxi operators, several of the legislators also raised the existential crisis faced by the yellow and black rickshaw operators and motorcycle pilots. The MLAs argued that those in the occupation of rickshaw drivers and motorcycle pilots were 99% Goans and needed to be supported lest they lose their livelihoods.
Viegas and Borkar argued that motorcycle pilots are unique to Goa and have to be incentivised, including hand-holding them to replace their bikes with new ones and even e-bikes.
Viegas said, they are ‘brand ambassadors’ for Goa and along with rickshaw drivers have to be promoted by the government, including publicising the rickshaw and motorcycle pilot stands on the Tourism Department’s website.
