PANJIM/MARGAO: Upset with Election Commission of India (ECI) requisitioning vehicles from Maharashtra, the taxi union in Goa has threatened to hit the streets if local operators are ousted from the business.
The taxi union led by Chetan Kamat met officials of the Transport Department on Tuesday with their grievances but to not avail.
“Taxi operators will come on the streets if the business not given to local operators. What was the need to hire rental cars from Maharashtra when Goan taxis are available,” he said.
Speaking to the media persons outside the Regional Transport Office, the taxi operators, said the local cabbies are willing for less per-day fees than what is being currently paid to Maharashtra-borne drivers.
“Goa government should support small businesses and we have been operating for several years,” he said.
The union also questioned as to how the tender was allotted to non-Goans when none from Goa taxi association was invited to bid.
“If we have missed responding to the tender which was published in newspapers then why no taxi association was approached? When we asked the officer which association he contacted to invite for the bid, he asked us to leave his office,” Kamat alleged and said the BJP government should not take them for granted.
Meanwhile, alleging that the Goans are deprived of earning their livelihood by the government pertaining to hiring vehicles from Maharashtra, Goa Taxi Owners Association on Tuesday warned that they will block the outside taxis engaged in election duties.
The Association is of the strong opinion that the concerned authority should have given preference to the local taxi owners.
Addressing the media person at Margao Furkhan Shah, Association’s General Secretary alleged that this government is not for Goans but for outsiders, and neither the government nor the concerned authority has concern for the local taxi owners who are struggling hard in wake of COVID pandemic.
