PANJIM: Private tourist taxi drivers from across the State held a one-day dharna at Panjim’s Azad Maidan on Monday against the government’s decision to permit private self driven rented vehicles and fitting of meters and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in taxis.
Over 200 taxi drivers shouted slogans and demanded that the government revoke some 1,400 permissions to self driven rented bikes and vehicle granted by the Transport department.
Speaking to the media at the rally, North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) general secretary Vinayak Nanoskar said the rent-a-car and bike permissions has been a major setback to taxi drivers.
“In the past couple of months, there have been applications where a person has asked for 100 to 200 permissions and the government has granted them. This is detrimental to our business as tourists do not come to us. For the moment, all yellow and black taxis as well as AGT taxis are fitted with meters, why the need to put the same in our private taxis too?” asked Nanoskar.
The taxi drivers who have in the past raised the issue of such vehicles being granted permission have received no response and their decision to hold a day-long protest was because of this negligence, they said.
Lending support to the taxi drivers cause were Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Benaulim MLA Caetano (Caitu) Silva, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai who said they would take up the issue at the forthcoming Legislative Assembly session to resolve the demands.
“There have even been cases where people have come to me asking for help in getting bulk permissions for rent-a-bikes. They’ve mostly been government workers and businessmen applying. But if it is not helping Goans that need the job then why give the permissions?” said Lobo.
The taxi drivers plan to submit an ultimatum on Tuesday and stop their services on July 16, if their demands are not met.
