Team Herald
PANJIM: The State Taxi Driver Owners Association has threatened to see that the roads in the State are paralysed if the government doesn’t pay heed to their demands of cancelling app-based transport services.
They have said that they will see that public transportation is blocked on that day as part of their protest.
The taxi owners began their protest at Azad Maidan on April 6, Tuesday and held various placards against taxi aggregators and GoaMiles.
They issued a clarion call not only to other taxi owners from across Goa, but to private bus owners, motorcycle pilots and those in the rent-a-car and rent-a-bike business, to join them in their mega protest on April 8, Thursday,
Taxi Union Leader Laxman ‘Bappa’ Korgaonkar, explained that for now, those who had gathered at Azad Maidan on Tuesday, will protest on Wednesday as well and that time has been given until Thursday, for the others to prepare for the planned strike that will go on indefinitely.
“Even if any other Goan starts an app-based taxi service, we will be protesting against that well. We want these taxi aggregators like GoaMiles cancelled completely,” said Korgaonkar, while addressing the media persons.
Korgaonkar criticised Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar for his recent remarks against the taxi owners and in favour of GoaMiles and slammed the government for not supporting local Goan taxi owners.
They accused the government of instead, taking steps to see that the taxi aggregators are flourishing.
Other taxi leaders also recalled the ‘empty promises’ made by ruling MLAs such as Michael Lobo, who they pointed out had promised in writing at their last protest that he would resign.
Stating that this time they will not back down no matter what the MLAs say as they are fed up with the government failing to listen to their demands despite their repeated attempts to approach various government authorities.
Explaining that the livelihood of local Goans in the public transport business is being affected by taxi apps like GoaMiles, they reiterated that their protest will ensure that the roads are paralysed on Thursday.
