North Goa Rent-a-Cab Association (NGRCA) members are feeling let down by the government, which assured to regularise their rent-a-car services after they formed the association. However, they are hopeful that their services will be regularised sooner or later as they are sons of the soil and need employment to survive. They opined that a collective effort would yield the desired results.
NGRCA Vice President Nitesh Chodankar said, “The then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, in the presence of Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, requested us to form an association so that he could grant the required permits for our rent-a-cab services. Everything was going as per our plans. Unfortunately, his sudden departure to Delhi derailed the process. Still, we are hopeful that the government will decide in our favour and help us carry out our trade.”
He continued, “We are also against granting permits to travel companies like Vailankanni, Atmaram, Fernandes or Paulo as they will spell doom for the taxis business in Goa as well as us. If permits are given in bulk, the travel companies will deliver vehicles to the tourists at the airport, railway stations, bus stops, etc. In fact, our process for regularization was stalled due to Transport Department’s decision to give bulk permits to travel companies.”
He added, “We have been maintaining cordial relations with members of the North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) and even had a meeting with them in June to amicably resolve the issue. We will once again ask them to re-consider their stand as we are also Goans surviving on tourism.”
NGRCA President Rama Palkar said, “We invested a lot of money so that we could support our families. The government, instead of stopping rent-a-cab services totally, should grant permits to our members and settle the issue once for all in the interest of everyone. We are not saying to give permits to new cars, but the government should consider the cars that were present till April 2015. However, we are willing to make some compromise in the interest of an amicable settlement to the issue.”
When asked about Parrikar’s assurance to grant permits to rent-a-cab members, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said, “Initially, they were only 40-50 Goan youth offering rent-a-cab services. The number has now gone over 300. Well-to-do people, businessmen and even government workers are doing it as a part-time trade to make a fast buck. They are intruding in the taxi business.”
He continued, “Tomorrow, if the cap on rent-a-cab services is removed and the government starts granting permits, there will be no limit and the taxi business will be doomed as travel companies would largely benefit. Around 10,000 taxi owners and their families will be the ultimate sufferers due to the rent-a-cab permits. As a Goan, I will stand by the taxi owners as their livelihood is at stake.”
