MOPA: On the first day of the commercial operations of the Manohar International Airport at Mopa, the planning failure by the government and the ancillary agencies was exposed. Several persons who wished to get a cab did not get one due to the shortfall.
The absence of synergistic planning by the airport and the logistical service providers was exposed as even before the MIA received its fourth flight on the maiden day of operations. There were two modes of transportation with four different service providers for the travellers. Goa Taxi App, Taj Tours Taxi services, and Goa Miles had their taxi operations. KTC buses were also stationed at the airport. Except for the ones operating through the app no taxis operated at MIA on Thursday. As a result, all the taxi operators exhausted their fleet by 12.15 pm. The customers had to wait for taxis to arrive. The facilitation staff at the airport had to convince the passengers to get on to KTC bus to cut the wait time. Hence, KTC had to rope in another two luxury buses in the afternoon.
Upon inquiring all realised that the Goa Taxi app is not an online booking app. Instead, it was merely a platform for new taxi operators to register. When inquired with the dedicated office of the Goa Taxi App the staff had no answers. The Goa Taxi App which already had a lot of controversy surrounding it was exhausted of taxis by 12.15 pm. The Road Transport Office (RTO) which is the regulator of the Goa Taxi App looked to be mere spectators to the confusion.
Taj Tours taxi booking counter also came in with 30 to 35 taxis and proved to be a flexible option for the passengers. However, they too exhausted their fleet by noon. Learning from this they called in for more taxis and opened bookings again.
Even after assurance by the government neither there was a counter nor any Yellow and Black taxis at the airport on Thursday.
Contemplating a deficiency in taxis, GMR also infused several taxis for travellers which provided free journeys. Several resorts also sent their own taxi cabs for pickup.
