PONDA: Maruti Taxi Owners Association (MTOA) along with other taxi associations said they would file a petition against Goa Miles Taxi App which is being favoured by the government.
MTOA President Baban Sawant, Ramdas Naik, who are also members of All Goa Taxi Owners Association, along with senior taxi owner Krishna Naik said the government is promoting and doing injustice to the original Goan taxi owners.
“This is the business for unemployed Goans for the past several decades for which even EDC was giving loans to unemployed youths and used to cancel employment registration card but now the government stand is changed. It is now favouring Goa Miles Taxi App. We along with yellow black tourist taxi owners are losing business because of Goa Miles,” alleged Sawant and Naik.
Sawant said ‘the government directed us to install meters but the fares are not decided according categories of taxis.’
“The taxi associations will approach the Court on this issue. Fares cannot be common for various categories of taxis. There are no clear directions with respect to charging of meter rent for various categories of taxis,” said Sawant.
He said taxis used in business are bought with different price range depending on their class and category. Some are ranging from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. A Wagan R costs around Rs six lakh, Ertiga Rs 8 lakh while an Innova around Rs 20 lakh.
“So depending on various prices and category of vehicles the meter rent charge should be different. This has not been decided yet, so we will approach the court on this issue,” Sawant added,