CALANGUTE: The newly launched Goa Taxi app was opposed tooth and nail by taxi owners in North Goa’s coastal belt who are claiming that it is nothing but yet another attempt to hand over the tourist taxi business to corporates and deprive locals of business.
The cabbies pointed out that there is already a GoaMiles app. “The situation has become such that every minister who comes along wants to start an app because they will then give it to an aggregator to operate and will get a commission. This is an attempt to corporatise the taxi business. We will always oppose apps,” they charged.
“Taxi owners in the coastal belt have always waited outside resorts and hotels for passengers. We do not intrude into other people’s business. So far, the taxi business in the coastal belt has remained with the locals. But now with the app, others can also come and pick up guests,” a representative of the taxi owners said.
Claiming that the chief minister has become a “commission agent”, they suggested that the CM first introduce an app for trucks in the mining industry. “If the chief minister starts mining in Sanquelim, let him start an app for everybody to come and operate trucks in Sanquelim to transport ore. Will he do that?” they said.
