With Unlock-5, several businesses are opening up gradually and this includes the transport sector. The transport system in the State is slowly limping back to normalcy.
While buses and taxis have been able to revive their business the same cannot be said about the motorcycle taxis who could be among the worst affected due to the pandemic.
With maintaining safe distance being the norm in order to stop getting infected by the virus, not many would be willing to pillion-ride on a two-wheeler ridden by a motorcycle pilot.
It is understood that the dwindling popularity of this service due to the pandemic has pushed the Goa Motorcycle Taxi Riders’ Association to seek help from the citizens. Some of those affected could have shifted to farming or other ways of earning their livelihood.
But the majority have fallen on hard times as they have to repay their vehicle loans and spend on maintenance of the two-wheeler, insurance and tax. It would be desirable for the Goa government to come to the aid of the motorcycle pilot in these trying times.
