PANJIM: The ongoing agitation by tourist taxi operators is likely to take ugly turn as operators have decided to surrender en masse over 26,000 taxi permits, including tourist taxis and yellow and black taxis, if government fails to scrap app-based service GoaMiles by Thursday, August 8. The operators have protested government’s action of invoking ESMA.
The taxi operators strike entered third day on Sunday, with over thousands of vehicles remaining off road, demanding scrapping of GoaMiles. The Rent-a-Car Association has also extended its support to the ongoing protest, announcing to keep their vehicles off the road, from Monday onwards.
Hundreds of tourist taxi, yellow and black taxi and rent-a-car operators on Sunday held meeting at Carambolim, Old Goa, where they unanimously resolved to continue with their agitation, without involving any MLAs claiming that the politicians have betrayed their trust.
The aggrieved agitators have urged government not to cancel their taxi permits, as they are ready to surrender it en masse on Thursday, August 8, if the service of GoaMiles is not scrapped.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Taxi Union leader Bapa Korgaonkar said they are firm on their demand that the GoaMiles service be scrapped. “We are giving government deadline till Thursday, to scrap the app. Failing which we will surrender our taxi permits. 26,000 taxi operators will surrender their permits,” he said.
“But, at the same time, we warn government against issuing new permits to anyone after we surrender it,” Korgaonkar said adding, “We are ready to hold discussions with government and work out way forward for so-called transparency in the service, only after GoaMiles is scrapped.”
Association of Tourist Taxi Owners Goa president Chetan Kamat said the taxi operators, who are no backed by rent-a-car operators, would continue to fight for their right. “Our protest will continue till GoaMiles app is scrapped,” he said.
Kamat said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant cannot impose GoaMiles on us. “We had tried to convince government but Chief Minister is not ready to scrap the app,” he said.
Earlier, addressing the meeting, North Goa Rent a Cab Association president Nitesh Chodankar said 100 percent rent a car will be shut from Monday in support of taxi operators.
Another taxi union leader Vasu Kerkar said Chief Minister is acting like Portuguese Salazar who wants to have his own way against the wish of people. “We are not going to fall for the dictatorship of Chief Minister. We will fight till we win,” he said.
