Team Herald
PANJIM: There seems to be no solution to the GoaMiles v/s taxi operators’ saga as the high-level meeting called by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Monday remained inconclusive.
The meeting was attended by Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, Dy Speaker Michael Lobo, former CMs Digambar Kamat and Churchill Alemao, MLA Alina Saldanha, GTDC chairman Dayanand Sopte and representatives of GoaMiles app. The meeting was also attended by representatives of different taxi association.
While the chief minister maintained that the taxi owners have agreed to join the GoaMiles Taxi app, the taxi owners refuted the CM’s claims saying they have neither agreed nor given any assurances.
“We had a high level meeting and spoke to the taxi operators. We came to know that they basically have three issues – taxis operating at eailway stations, airports and the hotel stands. They say GoaMiles cannot operate at these places,” Sawant said, emerging out of the meeting.
He said the government will addressed the issues. “Otherwise they (the taxi operator) have no objections to GoaMiles operations and are ready to join. We will address this and meet again in 15-20 days but let me say that GoaMiles will continue its operations,” he said.
Sawant said that during the meeting he tried to convince operators that most of them have three to four vehicles and they should register atleast one vehicle with GoaMiles and try out for a month.
The CM said that GTDC’s GoaMiles app is very good and the taxi operators must try it out. “App-based taxis is very important and is the future and reservations are unwarranted,” he added.
On the other hand, taxi operators refuted the CM’s statement saying they have not agreed or assured anything. “If CM says we have agreed it is wrong we have not agreed. We are not agreeable to app-based taxis. The meeting called by CM and all the ministers and coastal MLAs was just a formality,” said All Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (AGTTOA) president Chetan Kamat.
AGTTOA vice president Kundan Kerkar said that the grievances of taxi operators were not heard at the meeting at all. “We do not agree for any app. Let the
business at our stands continue. CM has told us we will meet in 16 days again but our request is that before we come on roads with families he should find a solution,” Kerkar said.
All Goa Yellow Black Taxi Owners Association president Sunil Anand Naik said that GoaMiles is illegal and operating without a licence. “We do not want GoaMiles. CM says we want to study but we say that we will not join any app based service,” he said. Naik said that when Lobo himself said that GoaMiles was illegal how can the government go ahead with such illegal operations.
Lobo said the interest of local taxi operators has to be protected. “There were complaints that the taxi operators were overcharging. There is a small percentage of people doing this and all are blamed,” Lobo said. He said there is a matter in the High Court on July 7 on digital meters and once that is done the issue would be sorted.
“CM has requested them to join GoaMiles but nobody has agreed to join despite CM’s request,” he said. Lobo said that while local operators’ interests have to be protected, tourists should also not feel disappointed. “Customer has to know what is the price. Transparency is very important,” he said.
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AITUC supports taxi operators
The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has supported the taxi operators accusing the government of trying to finish the traditional business in a bid to promote the app-based taxi service.
AITUC general secretary Christopher Fonseca said, “AITUC fully supports the demands of the taxi operators and that the traditional taxi business should be protected and undue and unhealthy competition in taxi business trade must be avoided,” he said.
The trade body has urged the government to intervene positively in a fair manner and resolve the widespread restiveness among the self-employed taxi operators in Goa.
“The State government seems to be all out to finish traditional business by exclusively promoting GoaMiles which is a private enterprise,” Fonseca said.
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TTAG rubbishes taxi operators demands
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has flayed the taxi operators demands vi-a-viz hotel pick up and drop saying “it is ridiculous”.
Speaking to Herald, TTAG president Savio Messias said taxi operators were asking for too much and that is tarnishing the image of Goa.
“Today at the meeting they said hotel pick up has to be done by taxis as the hotels give packages. Let me clarify, gone are the days of packages where on booking guests got airport pick and drop, half day sight seeing and boat cruise. Now 70 per cent of the bookings are online and they are not packages,” he said.
He was also critical of guests using only hotel stand vehicles whenever going outside. “The guests/ tourists must have freedom to choose. Do hoteliers have to take NOC from taxi drivers?” he asked.
He also criticised Dy Speaker Michael Lobo for supporting taxi operators. “Wll Michael tell his hotel guests which vehicle to use?”
On GoaMiles, he said, it was a good message it has been successful in retaining the image of Goa. “GoaMiles is doing a good job and giving good rates. Now, they are saying to stop the GoaMIles counter at airport. How is that possible?” he asked.
Asked whether TTAG has any backup plan in case taxi operators call for a strike, he said, “I can say we are better prepared this time. We have KTC buses and GoaMiles to back us in case of a taxi agitation.”
