Team Herald
PANJIM: Rent-a-car operators in North Goa have urged the State government to reconsider its decision to halt the renewal, replacement, and issuance of new Rent-a-Cab licences.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Cab operators who visited the Transport Department on Wednesday to renew or replace their permits were informed that the State Transport Authority (STA) had decided to suspend all such approvals until further notice. The affected operators expressed frustration, stating that no public notice had been issued regarding the decision.
“We have installed VLTD and speed governors in our vehicles. This is not the first time we are applying for a replacement. We also have EMIs to pay,” said cab operator Nitin Kunkalekar.
Another operator, Nitin Narvekar, alleged that despite complying with all government-mandated requirements, they are being harassed. “We were told to stop operations from the airport and we complied. Yet, our permissions are still not being renewed,” he added.
The government crackdown follows a series of accidents involving rented vehicles, particularly cases of drunk driving. On February 20, the Directorate of Transport issued a notice banning rent-a-cars from operating at airports and railway stations, warning that permits could be cancelled if operators violated these rules. Despite this, many vehicles continue to be found at unauthorised public places in violation of the Rent-a-Cab Scheme, 1989.
Operators were instructed to operate strictly from registered main offices or designated branch offices as permitted under their licences.
In response, the North Goa Rent-A-Cab Association has threatened to take the law into their own hands if the Transport Department does not withdraw its notice within eight days. Association representatives have submitted a charter of demands to the Deputy Director of Transport.
