PANJIM: Defying the government, the tourist taxi operators have demanded to Pramod Sawant-led coalition to scrap GoaMiles, app-based taxi service, within 10 days or face stir. A meeting of Association of Tourist Taxi Owners Goa and All Goa Yellow-Black Taxi Association resolved to oppose the government-backed taxi service claiming it was killing Goa’s traditional business of several decades.
The meeting, attended by several hundred members and their families, also saw support from Congress’ Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, NCP legislator Churchill Alemao and Mahila Congress Chief Pratima Coutinho.
The President of All Goa Tourist Taxi Association of Goa Chetan Kamat warned the government to come on the streets if their demand was not heeded. “We, along with our families will be forced to protest against GoaMiles if the app-service is not scrapped within 10 days,” he said addressing the massive crowd at Taleigao on Wednesday.
The taxi operators claimed that GoaMiles is illegally operating in the State and this has largely affected their legal business. “It has affected the livelihood of traditional tourist taxi operators. Misleading information is being circulated about us, which has affected our business,” one of the taxi owners said.
The resolution comes despite CM Sawant warning the taxi operators of any untoward incident claiming the government will not tolerant if the taxi unions take law and order in their hands. In a meeting with the taxi operators held recently, the CM had also urged them to join the app on a one-month trial period.
In an attempt to mount pressure on the government, the tourist taxi operators on Monday called on Panjim Congress MLA Atanasio Monserratte stating they are ready to install digital meter subject to the scrapping of GoaMiles taxi service. Claiming that taxi unions are threatened to lose their monopoly over this business, Power Minister Nilesh Cabral also sought those taxi operators to join the app-based facility for a month and then point out its flaws.
