PANAJI
Taxi operators on Thursday demonstrated outside the Transport Department to demand the removal of the transport director and a solution to the meter issue.
The taxi operators demanded that the State government adhere to the direction of Lokayukta and order an inquiry into GoaMiles app-based taxi service through a retired judge as per directives of the Lokayukta.
Leader of the taxi operators and President of Goa Private Bus Owner Association Sudip Tamhankar said around 600 taxi operators have submitted an application to the chief minister’s office to demand an inquiry against GoaMiles.
Alleging that the transport director had failed to resolve the issues of taxi operators and various demands of bus operators, Tamhankar demanded that the government should remove Rajan Satardekar as director of transport as he has no time for the transport operators.
“When the tourism season is gaining momentum, the transport department has cancelled around 3,000 permits of taxi operators. In this situation, how are the taxi operators to run their business? On other hand, the chief minister says the issue will be resolved while the transport minister is adamant on his stand,” said Tamhankar.
“The Chief Minister has said he will resolve the issue before Ganesh Chaturthi, but he has not taken any steps to resolve it. He should immediately resolve the issue and give taxi operators relaxation to work without digital meters.”
Tamhankar said the government should not force taxi operators to fix digital meters on their vehicles.
“There is no clarity in the notification on whether digital meters will be compulsory for taxis from other states which have national permits. We had given a memorandum to the government regarding this on July 19,” said Tamhankar.
