PACHU MENON
As an initiative of Goa Tourism Development Corporation, GoaMiles Taxi service seeks to give visitors to the state a hassle-free method to book a taxi.
The approval from the state transport authority makes GoaMiles the state-run app-based taxi service and throws open its doors for all categories of registered vehicles to sign up and boost the services.
Newsreports confirm that following this approval, the aggregator can now aggregate taxis in the category of All Goa Tourist, Yellow Black and All India Tourist Permit taxis; Yellow Black motorcycles, Rent-a-Cab and Rent a bike as per guidelines formulated by STA.
Envisaged on the lines of Ola and Uber, GoaMiles has however not had a smooth drive in the state with local taxi operators virtually on a war path with the government after the GTDC facilitated the launch of the app-based service by a private aggregator start-up last year.
Incidents of sporadic violence and use of force against taxi drivers operating through GoaMiles across the state have also been reported.
With a few legislators effectively backing the dissenting taximen, the government is nowhere near achieving a breakthrough on the contentious taxi conundrum in the state.
Rejecting the suggestion of the government that they join the app-based service on a trial basis for three months, things had come to boil with the taxi operators threatening the government of dire consequences if their demands were not acceded to at the earliest.
Wanting the government to develop and operate an app of its own, the local taximen are agitated at realizing that the government was backing a private party operating the app against the interest of thousands of taxi operators who are all sons-of-the-soil and in the business for decades.
True to their threats, they decided to stay off the roads from Friday last despite the ESMA having been invoked and strikes in the transport sector banned for six months.
For a fact, the local taxi operators have had a ‘free run’ in the state with allegations of exorbitant charging seemingly falling on deaf ears. Constituting a strong lobby, they have been stonewalling all efforts by the government to ‘standardize’ their operations.
Holding an absolute monopoly on the Goan roads, the taxi operators have revolted time and again at the thought of any competition. When it is contented that a healthy competition is essential for any business to thrive, the revulsion shown by the local taximen against any intrusion into their turf is indeed concerning!
Goa’s taxi unions have indulged in similar protests on a few occasions before for various reasons. Notably the strike against the entry of Ola cabs into the state which nearly paralysed it for two days.
The recent agitation to protest the order issued to install speed governors, fare meters and tariffs in their vehicles has been an example of the obstinacy that has exemplified Goan cabbies for decades.
Cartels of private cabs in most of the starred hotels have only added to the woes of the tourists. Guidelines to the effect that no vehicles from outside the hotels could be used by the guests have made these associations all the more powerful. When General Managers of the hotels themselves express their inability to assist the guests in this matter, the incredulity attached to such queer modalities takes some time to sink in.
Now for the ‘local’ part of the argument that the taximen are so vociferous about. If the sons-of-the-soil theory is what they are harping on to garner sympathy and emotionally blackmail the government with, it wouldn’t be wrong to ask them why they have always shown a marked preference for tourists over local fares!
The aversion shown for passengers of local origin while soliciting business is indeed incomprehensible. Do the taxi-wallahs feel that the local fares will deprive them of meaty collections which would otherwise be a forgone conclusion with tourists? As it is, Goa is considered one of the costliest places to visit and live in. With ‘costly’ travelling too adding to their miseries, the state will soon be bereft of quality tourists.
If the taxi operators are desirous of a level playing field they first need to implement the basic rules that makes doing business with them all the more enjoyable. However, flouting all norms, cabbies have raised their voice against any and everything that deviates from the standards set by them.
If only the government had decided to crack the whip much earlier.
Goa’s private taxi owners have to realize that affordable app-based taxi operations have become the global trend for passenger transportation on roads and sooner or later they have to join the app-based service. Why this false bravado then!
Finally, with the spate of developmental works in progress in the state, how right is it to ignore technological advances that could be put to use on the flawless roads that come as a gift of these improvements!
With the strike on these days it has been a pleasure motoring along the highways with the maniacal taxi drivers deciding to stay off the roads! The long queues and traffic bottlenecks courtesy the rash and reckless driving that characterizes the taxi drivers is fortunately missing. Without the ‘normal’ glitches, travelling to Panjim from Margao has never been as enjoyable!
