PANJIM: Commuters, including tourists, could face major trouble getting around the State on Monday as 15,000-odd tourist taxis will stay off the roads protesting the government’s failure to crackdown on illegal rent-a-car and rent-a-bike businesses in the State.
The call given by the All Goa Tourist Taxi Owners’ Association (AGTTA), North and South Goa Tourist Taxi Owners’ Associations will see tourist cabs at Dabolim airport, railway stations, starred hotels and other taxi stands refusing business from 7am to 6pm.
“We understand the general public and the tourists will face inconvenience but every association member is left with no alternative. The government is not bothered to heed our constant legitimate demand,” AGTTA General Secretary Vinayak Nanoskar told Herald.
The associations have appealed to passenger rickshaws to join the strike. The aggrieved taxi operators have been demanding that the government crackdown on rampant illegal rent-a-car and rent-a-bike business to ensure survival of the traditional business of tourist taxis.
“There are already 2,500-odd and around 16,500 special number plate cars and bikes (respectively) given on rent. This has already taken away our business. To add to the woes, the rental operators have included around 4,000 private vehicles illegally. The government has failed to take action despite being aware of the massive illegality,” he said.
With the tourist taxi trade already facing a significant decline, the operators have begun receiving default notices from the banks. “Majority of us took loans to run the cabs but with no business, we are left bankrupt. We don’t have a single penny to repay the loans,” he further said.
The associations have also asked the government to take them into confidence on its decision to install fare meters and GPS system, and withdraw the two year-old criminal case into a violent stir at Porvorim that saw several policemen and striking cabbies injured.
