PANAJI
The long-standing dispute over taxi waiting time at Manohar International Airport, Mopa, resurfaced on Wednesday as taxi associations from North and South Goa marched to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s residence, demanding relief from charges imposed by airport operator GMR.
Taxi drivers have objected to GMR’s policy of restricting waiting time at the arrival and departure lanes to just two minutes, after which a fee of Rs 210 is being levied.
Drivers argued that the time limit was impractical, especially for passengers such as pregnant women, the elderly, the disabled, and families with young children, who require more time to board or alight.
Following discussions with airport officials and police representatives earlier in the day, the associations were informed that the waiting time could be extended to five minutes, but any further relaxation would require government intervention.
Dissatisfied, the taxi unions marched to the Chief Minister’s bungalow to press their demand for a 10-minute waiting period.
“We had decided in the meeting that we don’t want the waiting time to be two or three minutes. We want it increased to 10 minutes,” a taxi drivers’ representative said, adding that customers were unwilling to pay the Rs 210 fee for exceeding the limit.
At the meeting with Sawant, the taxi drivers were assured to examine the feasibility of extending it to 10 minutes, noting that airports such as Delhi allow up to eight minutes.
Sawant further directed that the practice of charging for the initial two minutes be discontinued, offering immediate relief to drivers.
However, taxi representatives warned that if charges continued despite assurances, they would resort to stronger measures.
The issue is expected to remain contentious, with taxi unions pressing for parity with other airports in the country and GMR maintaining operational discipline. For now, the five-minute exemption marks a temporary truce in the standoff.
