CALANGUTE: The North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) has decided to keep their vehicles off roads indefinitely from december 23, if their plea for not issuing permits to private Rent-a-Cars was not met by the government.
Addressing the media here, NGTTOA president Vasudev Arlekar said: ”Goa Govt and the Centre have been fooling the common man here and the country by mere assurances. For three years, the BJP here has only been assuring us of a long-lasting solutions especially to the illegal rent-a-cab business by private operators. Today, we are facing the brunt and have suffered immensely because of the government’s dilly dally in resolving the issue. During the recent Diwali season, genuine Tourist Taxi Owners were left stranded at their respective stands while hundreds of illegal Private Rent-a-Cabs were seen making frequent trips in the coastal Villages of Calangute and surrounding areas. The illegal Rent-a-Cab business by the so-called unemployed youths, who also have other sources of income, has affected the lives of over 12,000 families”.
“The Traffic Police, Goa Police and the Enforcement Department have failed to curb the illegalities by the Private Rent-a-Cab Owners. Several cars were rented by domestic tourists which also led to traffic snarls and people were stranded for more than two hours while travelling between Calangute to Sinquerim and vice versa. If the state still goes ahead and issues permits to illegal private Rent-a-Cab owners, we will be forced to strike work and hit the road to seek a logical conclusion,” Arlekar said.
Vinayak Nanoskar, General Secretary of NGTTOA, said the state has been supporting the rich and ill-treating the poor which will force us to go off the roads in protest against the state government’s indifferent attitude.
