the goan I network
VASCO
Mormugao Deputy Collector Mahadev Arondekar convened a joint meeting on Saturday to discuss all necessary security arrangements, to prevent any untoward incident while a new car rental counter is expected to be opened at Dabolim International Airport on Monday.
Members of United Taximen Union (UTU) with their legal advisor, officials of Taj India Tours (who will be operating the car rental counter by AAI) were present at the meeting, along with Mormugao DySP Sunita Sawant, Mamlatdar Satish Prabhu, Traffic PI Roy Pereira, Dabolim PI Sailesh Narvekar, Vasco PI Nolasco Raposo, AAI officials and officials from other departments like Fire and Transport.
After a lengthy discussion, UTU members finally said they were OK with the counter, provided the car rental does not offer taxi type services and passenger destination to destination services.
At one point, the situation turned tense when the point of parking facilities for vehicles of the car rental was taken up. While Taj India Tours said these type of rental services were taken up by many airports and a parking lot was provided for taxis under the counter, UTU members said they were the first claimant to any parking lot arranged by the Airport.
An inspection of parking area at the airport was done and all officials also met AAI Director BCH Negi.
After the meeting and inspection, Mormugao Dy Collector Mahadev Arondekar informed that Taj India Tours had acquired the counter by winning a tender and had all approvals.
“After winning the tender, they could not get licence from the RTO and so, they approached High Court and accordingly, the RTA has now issued them licence.”
“There is a slight confusion about the term car rental and rent a car and it is being discussed now,” said Arondekar, while maintaining that necessary steps would be taken to prevent any untoward incident at the airport.
UTU advisor Adv Herculano Dourado said the UTU would be the first claimant to any parking lot at the airport.
“They are outsiders come here to do business and the entire state machinery is at their support. Suddenly, parking also has been arranged for them while we have been demanding a parking facility for years. We will stop them if they operate as taxi and also stake claim in the parking land arranged at the airport, as we are the first claimants,” said Dourado.
UTU President Sanjay Naik said the UTU members had been at the airport for over 40 years, but had never been allotted any parking facility.
“The AAI has opened a counter for car rental and today, sons of the soil are sidelined and an outsider is being entertained. We have been demanding parking for so long. Today, the entire system is with them and this will spoil the peaceful environment at the airport,” said Naik.
According to sources, a strong force of around 300 police staff is likely to be placed on the Dabolim International Airport to avoid any untoward incident.
