MAPUSA
Expressing their angst against the launch of Goa Taxi App, local taxi operators on Saturday said app-based taxis are not suitable for a thinly-populated place like Goa and will continue to oppose app-based taxis in the State.
Taxi operators also criticised the government for not taking them into confidence and warned of consequences in the upcoming parliament elections.
“App-based taxi is a cancer. We have opposed app-based taxis and will always oppose it even in future. Goa is not a metropolitan city. Secondly, all Goans own more than one vehicle. It is not suitable for a small State like Goa,” said Yogesh Govekar alias Mogambo, a local taxi operator from the coastal belt.
Stressing the importance of technology in the tourism sector, the State government on Friday launched the much-touted Goa Taxi App.
The taxi operators slammed the government for promoting app-based taxis much against the interest of local taxi owners.
“This government is busy promoting aggregators and the corporate lobby,” Govekar alleged, adding, “they have no interest of local taxi operators who have their families to look after.”
He said according to the government scheme for app-based taxis, 90 per cent of the fare will go to the taxi driver and 5 per cent will be for the welfare of the taxi operators and the remaining 5 per cent for the app-runner.
“Every minister wants a pie from the taxi lobby. The five percent reserved for the app-runner will actually go as commission to the…you know who,” he said.
“This government is not for the common man but only for the aggregators. They want Goans only during the election,” he added.
According to taxi operator Pujan Malvankar, taxi business is the only enterprise which is till today with the Goans and the government was now trying to snatch it away and hand it over to Delhiites.
“Earlier, most of the hotels were run by Goans but now outsiders have overtaken the locals in the hotel industry. Similarly, there are attempts made to take away Goans from the taxi business and hand it over to outsiders. And the government is party to this scheme,” Malvankar said.
Another taxi operator, Ramchandra Tamankar, called upon all local taxi operators to remain united in their fight to retain the business in the hands of the Goans.
“This government does not care about the Goans. We should all remain together and fight against the injustice brought on us,” Tamankar said.
While launching the Goa Taxi app, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had said tourism stakeholders will have to get accustomed to technology to be one step ahead in the competitive business.
