Team Herald
PONDA: North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) general secretary Vinayak Nanuskar on Monday informed that Transport Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar has assured them that the Government has decided to scrap the installation of speed governors on tourist taxis and commercial vehicles from November 1.
Addressing tourist taxi owners at a meeting at Ponda, Nanuskar said that delegation of NGTTOA along with Calangute MLA Michal Lobo met Dhavalikar, who also asked them to wait for another four to five days for Central Government notification scrapping the installation of speed governors on tourist taxis and commercial vehicles.
The meeting of the executive members of North Goa Tourist Taxi Association, South Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association organised by Maruti Taxi Association Ponda was especially convened to discuss the installation of speed governors for taxis and other problems.
Earlier, at the meeting, the members sought to know that if speed governors would be scrapped then why should they waste money on same and called an end to harassment by RTO officers who are insisting on installing speed governors to issue fitness certificates to their vehicles. The members claimed that they have installed speed governors, which cost between Rs 8,000 and 15,000 to carry on with the taxi business. If government wants to scrap the speed governors it should give clear information so that taxi operators do not waste money on speed governors.
The tourist taxi operators said that they are opposed to Goa Taxi miles App launched in Goa and claimed that it is affecting their livelihood of those who are in taxi business for 40-50 years as around 40 cabbies have joined and are providing services at lower rates.
A member said a petition opposing the App has been filed in High Court.
Objecting to the scrapping of badges for tourist taxis, the members demanded that the same should be made compulsory for those running taxi business.
They also questioned the need to install speed governors if government is widening all state highways.
Nanoskar said the tourist taxi operators associations in Goa have worked hard with an aim to scrap speed governors for tourist taxis which is financial burden on them.
He informed that they had sent several letters to Supreme Court, Prime Minister, Union Transport Minister and Transport Authorities in Delhi and have received positive feedback.
