VASCO: The United Taximen Association (UTA), a union of the Yellow-Black taxi operators from Dabolim International Airport, on Sunday said that it has not planned any agitation on Monday in view of the opening of new car rental counter at the airport as reported by the media.
Addressing a press conference in Vasco, Legal counsel and General Secretary of United Taximen Association Adv Herculano Dourado said, “On Monday we have no agitation as reported by the media, nor will we engage ourselves in any violent act. We look forward to the Deputy Collector and the police to maintain and uphold the law and order as they are sworn to do, by allowing the M/s Taj India Tours to rent cars and that too the maxicabs only and further by not allowing them to book passengers for point-to-point travel.”
“However, if there is an attempt by them to carry out illegalities, we will bring to the notice of authorities seeking immediate redressal so that they (Taj India Tours) do not illegally usurp our business,” Dourado warned.
Stating that they have always tried to use non-violent methods to highlight their grievances till date and would continue to do so in future, the UTA questioned the intention of the state administration to seek huge police protection at the airport on Monday.
“Firstly I want to clarify that since last 40 years I am associated with Yellow-Black Taxi Union and till date they never ever resorted to violence and have always supported the government in every difficult situation in transporting arriving passengers. However, the way Deputy Collector of Mormugao Mahadev Araundekar issued warnings of using police force against us, pained us,” Dourado said.
“The statement of taking police action was uncalled for and was in fact an attempt to paint us with same red colour brush, the way government functionaries painted the tourist taxis, who have been agitating across Goa of late. We have said earlier and I am saying it again that Union has no objection to the starting of car rental (maxicab) service as it is meant to rent out maxicabs to private individuals for their use only and that they cannot be used as normal taxis to drop arriving passengers to particular destinations i.e. operate as point-to-point taxis,” Dourado claimed.
He said that at Saturday’s meeting with Deputy Collector, UTA’s view on car rental (maxicab) service was accepted by all the officers present and reinforced by the RTA officials. Accordingly, the Deputy Collector had informed the licencee that he should get his licence modified if he desired to operate his vehicles as point-to-point taxis.
