TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIMMARGAOCALANGUTEPORVORIM: Arguing that they were being unfairly targeted, tourist taxi owners took on their critics Saturday alleging that the organised travel industry was not willing to sit and sort out their issues even though they were legitimate stakeholders in the industry.
In a bid to silence their detractors they however, promised to weed out the bad apples from their basket, once they were given proof of the misdeeds of their ilk.
Insisting that their image was being maligned by vested interests, Vassudev Arlekar, president of the North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association said that Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) was not willing to sit with them and sort out issues.
The industry is not giving options to tourists. We are a much cheaper option. Let them display our rates outside the hotels and let the tourists choose, Luciano Fernandes, a taxi owner from Calangute and association member told HERALD alleging that TTAG members are charging guests in foreign currency.
“They claim that there is an option that guests can go with anybody; but this is not actually happening,” Rabindra Vengurlekar, association vice president said adding, “There is already a circular (2010) saying that the taxi rate should be prominently displayed in the hotel and if not the licence can be revoked or not renewed. But no rates are being displayed and no licence has been revoked till date.”
“Keep an option; keep bikes, keep taxis and keep buses and then let the tourists decide,” Arlekar said and added, “There is a lot of competition, we are in fact charging below the official rates.”
The South Goa Tourist Taxi Owners’ Association also urged the legislators to take care of the development of Goa with better facilities for shopping, car parking, besides a clean environment and called for a clear definition of government tourist policy in order to attract high-end tourists.
Association President Seby Fernandes and secretary Uday Malvankar said the tourist taxi operators cannot be accused just because some unknown personality has put (remarks) on the internet/Facebook. “Since the start of tourism 30 years ago, there’s been no complaint of whatsoever that taxi operators have cheated any tourist, but accusations are made or false complaints rooted by TTAG,” the duo said.
“The fact is that we taxi operators are undercharging the tourists as per the rates based on kilometers from point to point which are provided by the RTO through the official gazette,” they said.
Accusing TTAG for interfering in the domestic taxi business by providing contract cars which charge the guests double, through foreign currency, the Association said the tourist taxi operators need not be advised by the TTAG to install taxi meters but they should first stop fleecing tourists in the guise of charging the foreigners in foreign currency. “The exorbitant prices charged by the hoteliers and tour agencies during the peak season is also another reason for the tourists choosing other destinations as claimed by TTAG,” they said.
Meanwhile, Tourist taxi operators Saturday took on their critics. While Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar missed the agitated tourist taxi operators who marched to his residence at Saligao this morning, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte was gheraoed at his Porvorim constituency office at around 1 pm.
Khaunte, it is learnt, faced a backlash from the tourist taxi operators for almost close to two and a half an hour. The mob comprising almost 250 taxi operators from North Goa was angered by his recent statements in the House over tourist taxi operations.
Khaunte later speaking to Herald said, “I stand by what I said in the House in the interest of tourism in Goa.” He also said that he was with the government in its tough stand over tourist taxi operations and told the agitated taxi operators that he would also raise whatever issues concerned them.
North Goa Tourist Taxi operators also staged a protest rally in Calangute on Saturday. A large number of taxi operators affiliated to the North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) assembled at Calangute market and marched along the streets to condemn allegations by other tourism stakeholders that tourist taxis were fleecing tourists.
The operators were also unhappy with these stakeholders for agreeing with comments that were critical of tourist taxis, which had appeared on various travel websites.
A police team led by Calangute PI Nolasco Raposo was stationed to maintain law and order during their protest.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo went to the site and interacted with the aggrieved taxi operators. Lobo advised them to resolve the issue amicably and assured to take up their grievances at an appropriate time in the ongoing Assembly session.
