Tourism stakeholders threaten all Goa bandh in support of Mopa taxi operators

PERNEM:  Even as GMR withdrew the hiked parking fee at Mopa Greenfield
Airport, the tourist taxi operators went ahead with their protest on Thursday.
Hundreds of taxi owners and drivers marched to the Pernem police station,
demanded ‘justice’ and a permanent resolution to their concerns. Tourism
stakeholders who extended support to the Mopa Taxi Operators threatened to
observe an All Goa Bandh if the taxi operators issue was not resolved by
Friday.
The drivers claimed that GMR had reduced the parking fees from Rs 200 to Rs 80
only after they threatened to protest. Initially, the fees had been increased
from Rs 80 to Rs 200. The taxi drivers emphasized that this reduction is a
temporary solution and called on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to provide an
assurance and address the ongoing issue permanently.
Amit, a taxi operator said, “Although we have gathered here, there is no
response from the government. Our demand is that the chief minister should come
to Pernem now or he should come tomorrow and meet us at the Guest House,
Pernem. We don’t want to go to the Secretariat again and take his ‘tablets’
(assurances), as we did during the Assembly session.”
“All taxi operators from North and South have gathered here to support the Mopa
taxi operators. Taxi operators are fighting for last five to six years. When
they heard that there would be a protest, GMR announced  that the parking
fees would be reduced from Rs 200 to Rs 80. When we travel from South to Mopa
we charge the passengers Rs 3000. Rs 1000 goes to the government, Rs 1000 we
spend on fuel, Rs 300 is for maintenance. We go home with Rs 700. We have to
change the tyres at 35,000 kms while earlier we had to change tyres after
70,000kms. Transport minister alleges we don’t pay GST. On tyres, services, etc
we pay GST. He should tell us how we are causing a loss to government. Unless
our demands are fulfilled we will not step back,” a taxi operator from South
said.
John Lobo, President  of All Goa Shack Owners said they had come to extend
support to the Mopa taxi operators. “Besides us, there are rent a car, rent a
bike operators who are supporting the Mopa taxi operators. If the two MLAs (of
Pernem and Mandrem) do not come back to us with a solution by 12 noon Friday,
we will have an all Goa bandh on Saturday with the support of all tourism
stakeholders. They have to remove the taxi stand of the Goa Miles operators
from Mopa airport. It may not be possible to stop the Goa Miles service, but as
a first step they should be removed from the Mopa airport.”