TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Benaulim Tourist Taxi Owners are up in arms over the parking fees levied on tourist taxis at tourist places across the State.
The taxi owners under the banner of Benaulim Tourist Taxi Owners’ Association have demanded the immediate withdrawal of the parking fees by the GTDC at the tourist places, including Old Goa.
The tourist taxi owners, who met at Benaulim on Saturday morning, strongly condemned the parking fees and demanded its immediate withdrawal. They have failed to understand the logic behind imposing the parking fees when they pay road tax as well as taxes to the Tourism Department.
After the meeting, President of the association Seby Fernandes told Herald that the parking fees levied at GTDC parking complexes are not acceptable to the tourist taxi owners. He said the tourist taxi operators are charged parking fees even for parking on the road at Old Goa. “How can the government simply charge parking fees for the tourist taxi owners and operators. Besides paying the road tax, we also pay taxes to the Tourism Department. The government should understand that the tourist taxi operators loose heavy money on parking fees at the end of the day,” he said.
On badges to be displayed by the tourist taxi drivers, Seby said the authorities are free to check the same. He has, however, sought to know whether the authorities have any plans to crack a whip against private vehicles being used to ferry tourists and passengers. Moreover, he said the authorities do not spare the tourist taxi drivers, who have applied for badges, but are yet to receive them from the authorities concerned.
He said the taxi operators have also submitted a memorandum to the Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva.
