PANJIM: Around 30,000 tourist taxi operators including the yellow and black taxi owners will hold a silent protest in Panjim next week pressing for their demand to scrap the GoaMiles app-based taxi service. 

The taxi operators, backed by political leaders, have urged auto rickshaw operators, pilots and private bus owners to be part of their protest against government’s high-ended attitude of enforcing App based taxi service. 

Association of Tourist Taxi Owners of Goa and Congress MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco on Saturday held media briefing, wherein they have urged Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to hold discussion with the taxi operators and listen to their grievances. The MLA also said that the taxi operators can consider running their vehicle under GoaMiles provided the App is run by government and not private agency and redesigned taking them into confidence. 

Urging public and government not to call them ‘mafia’, the taxi operators questioned that if the tourist and government have no issue with fluctuating flight prices or hotel rates, then why only issue with taxis. They even admitted that during peak season, they do charge Rs 100-Rs 200 extra per trip. 

They have also requested Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) not to intervene in their matter. 

Lourenco said that in order to awaken the government, the taxi operators will hold a silent protest in Panjim next week and for which we seek support from MLAs, ruling and Opposition, auto rickshaw operators, pilots and private bus owners. 

“The silent protest is going to be the first thing. If despite that, government fails to listen to our grievance...fails to call us for the discussion then we would intensify our protest,” he said adding ‘this will include major rallies and public meetings’. 

Pointing out that over 70 per cent of the taxi operators are Niz Goemkar, MLA said, “We are not against the App based taxis but we are against the high-ended attitude of the government to destroy the local people’s livelihood.” 

Stating that he would raise the issue in the upcoming monsoon session, Lourenco also said that as per the Motor Vehicle Act, once taxi or vehicle permits are granted for ferrying passengers by the government, then there cannot be competitive business. 

“Government has violated the same,” he said. 

Earlier speaking, Tourist Taxi Association President Chetan Kamat reiterated their demand to scrap the App and transfer of Transport Director Nikhil Dessai for harassment. He even requested public not to call them ‘mafia’, as the rates charged by them are as per the notified rates of the government. 

“Do not call us ‘mafia’. If you think so then prove it...just don’t tag us as ‘mafia’,” he said questioning as why government did not take them into confidence before launching the App. 

President of Yellow and Black Taxi Association Sunil Naik said that the fight against the App is basically because it is against the interest of 30,000 taxi operators and their families are dependent on the business.