Salcete, Canacona cabbies seek action against aggregators

A delegation of tourist taxi operators from Canacona and Salcete met with South Goa Superintendent of Police Santosh Desai on Wednesday.

MARGAO
Tourist taxi operators from Canacona and Salcete talukas plying from starred hotels on Wednesday warned taxi drivers operating under taxi aggregators not to test the patience of Goan youth eking out a livelihood in the traditional taxi business.

A delegation of tourist taxi operators from Canacona and Salcete, led by Siddhesh Bandekar and Savio Goes, called on South Goa Superintendent of Police Santosh Desai to demand action against taxi drivers parking their vehicles along the roads leading to hotels for the pick-up of customers.

They also demanded action against taxi drivers for making false videos of customers alleging harassment viral.

Later briefing the media, Siddhesh Bandekar, a tourist taxi operator from Canacona, said that taxi drivers from outside Goa are meting out harassment to traditional Goan tourist taxi operators in conducting their business. He said these outside taxi drivers working under taxi aggregators should know that the hotels have come up along the coast with the cooperation of Goan villagers, upon promises by hotel promoters to provide self-employment opportunities. “The Goan tourist taxi operators are the brand ambassadors of tourism in Goa. It was because of their hard work and integrity that tourism has reached great heights. Now, an attempt is being made to displace Goan tourist operators from their traditional business. We will never allow this to happen,” he asserted, even as he gave a call to the people of Goa to support local tourist taxi operators to protect the traditional Goan business.

Savio Goes told the media that the patience of Goan tourist taxi operators is running out due to sustained attempts by taxi drivers to encroach into their traditional business. “These taxi drivers come and park their vehicles along roads leading to hotels. This is not acceptable to us. Rules do not permit them to park their vehicles. We have requested the police to crack a whip against these taxi drivers,” Goes said.