MAPUSA
Tourism Minister, Rohan Khaunte said that the taxi lobby in the State was inconsequential but blamed politicians for pampering a section of taxi operators who time and again get away after creating a mess in the State.
Khaunte also said that the government was firm on the Goa Taxi app which will help the tourists and the locals alike and in all probability will be launched in the New Year.
“The taxi lobby is not a tough lobby. Politicians have made it tough. In every constituency there are taxis. In my constituency also there are taxis but we talk to them and expect good behaviour with the tourists. We are ready to help the taxi operators but in the right manner. Not by way of dadagiri,” Khaunte told The Goan.
While Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo has made no bones about backing the tourist taxi operators along the coastal belt, recently Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amokar was also found to back the taxi operators in Vasco.
Khaunte said that the recent incident involving taxi operators from Vasco and the American tourists of a cruise liner has damaged the image of Goa and such incidents were not in the interest of the touristic State.
“I don't like to make allegations against MLAs being involved…But a bunch of taxi operators in Vasco who may have had an umbrella of some politicians made a mess of things in the port city where the captain of the ship vowed not to come to Goa again. These are high end tourists who spend. Who are we not to allow them to use the coach? We lost a potentially high end tourist sector because of the Vasco fiasco,” he said.
He further said that such a bunch of taxi operators which are in Vasco were also found in North Goa.
The Tourism Minister said if Goa has to maintain the tag of preferred destination then using technology was the need of hour and the Information Technology (IT) department has already created the platform for the Goa Taxi app which will be launched soon.
“It’s not only the tourists but locals can also use taxis. There needs to be a good transit system in Goa. We want to launch the app soon. The CM has to call for a joint meeting with the IT and the transport department before giving the final touches. In the new year we will launch the Goa Taxi App,” he said.
