“We will not allow the state legislative assembly to carry out its session on the first day if the government fails to legalise the permits of the association,” North Goa Rent-a-Cab Association Secretary Amir Shirodkar said.
Around 200 members of the association gathered at the St Alex Church at Calangute Tuesday morning and marched towards Azad Maidan in Panjim shouting slogans and holding placards.
The association has been demanding legalisation of their permits to carry out the rent-a-car services, while the North Goa Taxi Owners Association is opposing the service claiming most are non-Goan and involved in other businesses. which affects the trade of the taxi owners.
Reacting to these allegations Shirodkar said, “They (taxi owners) should prove we have any other business along with rent services. If they feel we are not Goan, then who gave us ration cards and voting cards in Goa? We have been carrying out this business from the 1990s.”
Commenting on the issue, Transport Director Arun Desai said, “A decision will be taken only after meeting all the stakeholders. I am not the licensing authority. State Transport Authority (STA) has to grant the licenses.”
Meanwhile association President Ramdas Palkar said that BJP Calangute legislator Michael Lobo has ditched the association. In South Goa, Pushkar Travels have been granted the permit to carry out rent-a-car services. Pushkar Travels has almost 300 cars which are driven by different people. Criticising the state government’s move to grant permits to Pushkar Travels, Palkar revealed that they will not allow Pushkar cars to enter north Goa.
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Taxi owners applied
for rent a car permits
PANJIM: Though, North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) is opposing permits for rent-a-car services in the State, Transport Director Arun Desai said NGTTOA had applied for rent-a-car permit along with nine other associations/societies.
Desai said, “Right now there are nine applications from nine associations/societies seeking permits, out of which one of them is North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association.” He added, “But today I have received a letter from the tourist taxi owners association asking that the application be withdrawn.”
