Team Herald
MARGAO: Tensions continue to flare amidst the deep rift between the local taxi owners of Benaulim constituency and private taxi aggregator drivers from Margao with both groups being summoned to Colva police station on Saturday to try and resolve the issue.
While both groups are sticking to their stance, according to the aggregator drivers from Margao, who were the ones who had filed a complaint, they have been given an assurance that they will be allowed to pick up guests from hotels in Benaulim constituency, who have made a booking for their taxi service.
Speaking to media persons, the aggregator drivers insisted that they have the necessary permits to conduct their business and that end of the day, it is the customer who decides which taxi he/she wants to take.
They also hit out at alleged attempts to physically intimidate their drivers. The aggregator drivers added that they do not need to show any letter to the local taxi unions from the villages of Benaulim constituency and that they only need to show either a letter or details of the bookings to the security of the hotel, so that they can pick up the guests.
On the other hand, local taxi owners from Benaulim have insisted that the taxi aggregators from Margao not be allowed to encroach upon their traditional space of business, that is at the taxi stands outside these hotels as their livelihoods are at stake here.
They added that when these hotels came up, a condition was put by the panchayats that locals would benefit.
and from that time, nearly four decades ago, the locals from the villages, who were fishermen and toddy tappers, moved into the taxi business.
These local taxi owners also said they had bought high-end luxury vehicles to service the high-end guests from these starred hotels and a comparison cannot be made between their cars and the smaller brand of cars being used by the aggregators.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz also spoke to the Colva PI about this issue and backed the local taxi owners.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas also asserted that the taxi aggregator drivers cannot park on the roads of the village, waiting for customers and that it is illegal to do so.