Team Herald
PANJIM: The government of Goa has surprisingly not held a single dialogue for consultation with the yellow-black and tourist taxi owners in order to ease out the logistical issues of tourists in Goa. The office bearers of the major taxi associations spoke at the debate held by Herald TV on Thursday.
Sanjeev Sardesai, Orlando Nunes, Lyndon Alves representing the tourism businesses and Sunil Naik from the Yellow & Black taxi association and Tulsidas Phadte from All Goa Tourists Taxi Owners Association (AGTTOA) were a part of the debate which premiers on Herlad TV, YouTube and Facebook at 9 am Friday, December 23.
Sunil Naik, former president of Yellow and Black taxi Association said, “There have been four or five occasions the Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant said that he will call us and explain what they plan to do, but that never happened till date. No conversations have happened with taxi operators as far as taxi logistics for Mopa airport is concerned.”
“Advertisements are given and withdrawn. Even after informing the Government that yellow black taxis have the capacity and willingness to serve the new international airport, except for one meeting with some union there has been no attempt to sit across and convince us,” Naik informed.
While speaking on how the ‘Land Losers Taxi Owners’ from Pernem are being bypassed from getting the Mopa taxi business, Naik said “Taxi operators from Pernem had given an application to RTO for including their taxis for Mopa a long while ago. However, there has been no thought given to the application.”
Tulsidas Phadte, Secretary of the AGTTOA said, “While our request for providing a counter for tourist taxis at the Dabolim airport was not accepted by the Hon’ble High Court, the government went ahead and gave a counter for a private player for tourist taxis. We are reiterating our demand in a prayer before the High Court to provide a counter”.
Phadte asks “What were the transport and RTA doing all this while about the logistics of Mopa airport? The airport manual and the consultancy had a logistics plan but no discussion yet has been held on that. Why?”
Lyndon Alves said that “Although the government wants a solution there are divisions within. If nothing is falling in place, if we lose a name now we will not get it back,” he said.
Orlando Nunes of Trailblazers tours said, “Taxis are a part of Goa tourism, but there is no system in place. We find difficulties as there are no printed rates at the points or at the disposal of the tourists which affects the overall business.”
While talking on law-and-order issues surrounding the taxi operations Sanjeev Sardesai said, “Our rules are best but enforcement is bad. Permits are given on the basis of rules. I am making a charge that we have a very ineffective RTO.”
