Members of United Taximen Association at the Dabolim Airport.
Photo Credits: Vikram Nayak
VASCO
Yellow-Black taxi operators at Dabolim Airport on Monday expressed fear and concerns over lack of business and sought to blame GoaMiles, Rent-a-Car operators, touts and flight diversions for a loss in their business.
Threatening to stage a massive agitation in the near future, the United Taximen Association (UTA), an association of around 350 Yellow-Black taxis, said the government must immediately act to stop the diversion of flights to Mopa Airport and take stringent action on touts who were openly harassing the passengers at the Dabolim Airport.
Speaking to reporters, UTA member Anand Pednekar said it was a matter of grave concern with a lot of flights being diverted to Mopa Airport.
"We fear that Dabolim Airport would shut down after Mopa Airport began operations and we met all 4 MLAs of Mormugao and even met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who gave us the assurance that both airports will co-exist. However, the reality is different and while international flight operations have been diverted to Mopa, domestic flight operations have reduced by 50 per cent here, leaving us with very less passengers to cater to around 350 taxis," said Pednekar.
"Secondly, we now have a GoaMiles App Counter next to ours and they have begun soliciting passengers. They are supposed to be a mobile app and while they were told to inform passengers on how to download the App and book taxis, they have instead put a huge prepaid chart and are directly pulling the passengers on the airport.”
“How can an online app place prepaid rates on their counter and solicit passengers who don't even download the App? No taxi aggregator across India has a taxi fare board except GoaMiles which is operating from Dabolim Airport," said Pednekar.
Another member, Eknath Palkar, said touts were a bigger menace and would create a ruckus at the airport.
"We have so many touts here who come and pull passengers and even fight in the open. Many of these touts don't even have taxis and pull the passengers to cars below the airport and take their commissions,” said Palkar.
“We have complained several times to the police but they give us a routine excuse of shortage of staff. These touts are armed with knives and no one knows their original background or antecedents. There have been cases where such taxis and touts have been involved in some crimes and misbehaving with women passengers, but the police have done nothing.”
General Secretary Prasad Prabhugaonkar said Rent-a-Car operators have been operating illegally at Dabolim Airport.
“Rent-a-car operators are supposed to operate from their office and their cars are to be parked next to their office but they come in the open and park at the Airport and take away our customers,” said Prabhugaonkar.
Taximen want fixed Rs 500 fees to renew digital meters
VASCO: United Taximen Association (UTA) General Secretary Prasad Prabhugaonkar has requested the transport department to allow them to renew digital meters at a fee of Rs 500 instead of Rs 4,652, since they were already paying counter fees, GST, royalty and other charges.
"We are struggling with business and we cannot afford such prices and giving us a renewal at Rs 500 will help us in a big way. Being a yellow-black taxi, we are operating as per slips and we are prepaid taxis and hence, as per law we are not even eligible for a digital meter, especially because our tariff is fixed.”
“We request the government to give us a concession and fix our renewal at Rs 500 for digital meters," said Prabhugaonkar.
