27 Apr 2023  |   06:02am IST

Notify counter at Mopa airport by April 30 or face protests: Pernem cabbies

Wants government to come out clear on their demands; claim that outsiders are getting permits for operations at the airport, but Pernem locals are deprived of real benefits

Team Herald

PANJIM: With no yellow black taxi counter or any tax rebates for taxis operating at Manohar International Airport (MIA), cabbies from Pernem have warned of massive protests from May 1, if the government fails to notify the counter at the airport.

A core committee of the alliance of two taxi owners associations has decided to start a protest from May 1.

The panel of two associations having 24 members has threaten to launch protests if the government does not come out clear on the demands made by the Pernem taxi owners and operators.

Advocate Prasad Shahapurkar, who is also an activist representing the Airport Taxi Association and Pernem Taxi Association said, “It has been four months since our demand for a taxi counter for yellow and black taxis was placed. However, the government is still not notifying the counter. We will issue a deadline till April 30 to come out with the notification or else we will start major protest.”

Uday Mahale, a member of the taxi association said, “The government has not issued the notification for a taxi counter. People from Pernem have not got jobs at the airport. Outsiders are getting permits for operations at the airport, but people from Pernem are deprived of the real benefits.”

While the government has been slow in granting the taxi counter at the MIA, Mega Cabs, Auto Fuzre, Ineka Tours and Travels, Taj India Tours, Goa Miles and Goa Taxi App have got permits for operating to and fro MIA.

It may be recalled that the Pernem taxi owners and operators had placed their demand against levying any fees or taxes while announcing or notifying the taxi stand at the MIA. However, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho has out rightly rejected the demand of the Pernem taxi men for waiving taxes. He said, “The question of waiver does not arise. There is no question of giving exemption to people from Pernem. GST applies to the entire State.”

With no taxi counter or tax waiver, the taxi operators are now gearing up for a massive protest against the government’s apathy.