It may be a small state but travelling across it may result in one experiencing a great deal of hardship. The absence of options to travel at ones convenience is frustrating and then there is the prohibitive cost involved in moving from point A to point B. It is a problem that has been commented on ad nauseam over the year. On Wednesday private taxi objected to the setting up of a private counter at a resort in Assonora. They were essentially objecting to providing an option to guests. Later that day, private taxi operators at the airport beat up a taxi driver operating a yellow black taxi. The race for profit it seems will make then turn on their own. This does not make for a very pretty picture. What is the solution? Savio Messias who is an hotelier and one time President of the TTAG said it was absolutely ridiculous that taxi drivers were fighting with the business but were also fighting with other taxi drivers. He said” They seem keen on destroying the business. The only solution is meter taxis and app based taxis. That is the only way everybody can survive. These taxi drivers seem to be fighting against the whole world. They are fighting against the hoteliers and their own taxi drivers. In the run up to the ISL the organizers wanted bus drivers in the state who would have to stay in the bubble for six months. No one was willing and they hired willing people from outside the state. It was the same in the run up to the Lusifonia Games. Protocols have to be followed. We had to get bus companies from outside. The taxi drivers are killing the goose that is laying the golden goose.” He went on to say that hoteliers had show similar obstinacy and do their own marketing. Now they were depending on portals who were charging them anywhere between 18-20 %. He ended by saying that taxi drivers needed to understand that a growing percentage of visitors were now hiring private cars and driving around the state. It was time for taxi drivers to understand they were fleecing their customers and could never continue as a viable strategy. Nilesh Shah the President of TTAG said all this happening because the government did not seem to learn their lesson. He said they had to do their job and install the meters. He said “We filed contempt last week against the govt. The tourists coming here should have the freedom to select their own mode of transport. They cannot be forced to use one particular counter. This will lead to a law and order. By indulging these people we are sending the wrong signal. If we don’t we are asking for big trouble. Tourists will suffer and they will talk about the problems they faced whilst in Goa. Word will spread and it will affect business. These taxi drivers don’t seem to understand that they are shooting themselves on their own feet.” Attempts to contact Vinayak Nanoskar General Secretary of the All Goa Tourist Taxi Association proved futile. Hoteliers who would have no problems commenting on any issue afflicting the industry seemed a bit reluctant to talk about the issue saying whatever they said did not seem to make any difference to the government who it seems had other calculations in mind. The Head of Sales and Marketing of a resort in the south who spoke on condition his name would not appear said they were every used to this situation with the taxi drivers. He said the taxi business could be run in a manner that was win-win but it was an idea completely lost of the taxi drivers. He said “We have an understanding with the taxi drivers outside our hotel. We had serious problems three years ago. We cannot send a car to the neighbourhood to pick up a friend because they will raise objections. Our guests now hire a car and drive down to the property. It turns out cheaper for them and they are happy”. This episode during the week was unfortunate given that business would now experience a downturn due to the increase in the number of cases in neighbouring states. He expressed the hope sanity and common sense would prevail. One can only hope the government does what is expected to do ie ensure the installation of metres and ensure apps are common. This will ensure a smoother experience for everyone which could mean more tourists coming to Goa and people earning more.
