MARGAO: The Transport Minister Sudin Dhavlikar along with Director of Transport Nikhil Desai and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat handed over the orders to convert 43 tourist taxis stationed at the Margao Railway Station to yellow and black taxis.
Kamat said that he the demand had been there for many years and that Dhavlikar had promised to issue the orders before last Diwali. Kamat blamed the previous Collector for delaying the process by not issuing the notification.
Interestingly, sources in the South Goa collectorate informed that the issue with the process was the availability of land.
“According to the tourist taxi rules, the taxis cannot be parked in public areas. However, we allow them to be parked anywhere but that is illegal. When they are converted to yellow and black taxis, they have to have a designated stand where no other private vehicles can park. Where is there land for 43 vehicles near the railway station? Tomorrow tourist taxis that occupy scarce parking area around Margao municipality will make the same demand. What will the government do then? Convert all these public parking spaces into taxi stands?” the official questioned.
