Union defends taxi drivers’ right to serve hotel guests

Members of the All Goa Drivers Union outside the office of the South Goa District Superintendent of Police on Wednesday.

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO
The All Goa Drivers Union, led by President Sheikh Muzaffar Ahmed, has said no one has the right to restrict taxi drivers from picking up guests from hotels, saying the customers enjoy the right to choose the taxi of their own choice.

A delegation of the union on Wednesday went to lodge a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, South Goa, against the Sarpanch of Cavelossim panchayat Dixon Vaz for what the union termed as instigating the local public against the outside taxi operators, thereby creating a law and order situation.

The Cavelossim Sarpanch had taken up cudgels for the local taxi operators at the Colva police station earlier this week after a complaint was lodged against local operators by outside taxi operators.

Ahmed said members of the All Goa Drivers Union do not go to the taxi stands, but only provide service to the customers whenever they receive calls for a pick-up. “We are also operating our taxis with the permits issued by the Transport department. We are not running any illegal business. We go to pick up customers from the hotels only after receiving a call or via online booking,” he said.

The complaint stated that the Cavelossim Sarpanch had said that illegal pick-up and drop in Cavelossim occurs where taxi operators are entering without any valid permits, and that due to this, conflicts occur between local taxi operators and taxi operators from outside the village.

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Safeguard local taxi operators: Vaz

MARGAO: Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz has cautioned the government that though the application of new technology in the taxi business is welcome, every care should be taken to ensure that the local taxi operators are not displaced from the tourism sector.

He further reminded the government that most of the hotels have come up along the coastal belt with the cooperation and support of the local populace on the understanding that locals will get jobs and taxi business at the hotels.

“Taking this into consideration, the government had notified the taxi stands outside the hotels for the benefit of the local self-employed youth. Now, our youth face the bitter prospect of getting displaced by the outside taxi operators. The government should work out a solution keeping the interests of the local youth in mind,” he said.

He added: “The local youth have invested heavily in buying high-end vehicles to meet the requirements of the starred hotels. How will they manage to pay the monthly instalments and eke out a living if outside taxi operators come and pick up the hotel guests?”