E-petition seeks Parrikar to allow entry of Ola, Uber services in Goa
Tired of Goa's taxi mafia, an NRI of Goan origin Mahesh Sardesai has started the petition that has been signed by 3,839 supporters.
Panaji,
April
27:
An
e-petition
demanding
Goa
Chief
Minister
Manohar
Parrikar
to
facilitate
the
entry
of
Ola
and
Uber
cab
services
in
Goa,
one
of
the
top
tourism
destinations
in
the
country,
has
gone
viral.
Tired
of
Goa's
taxi
mafia,
an
NRI
of
Goan
origin
Mahesh
Sardesai
has
started
the
petition
that
has
been
signed
by
3,839
supporters
in
a
matter
of
few
hours.
The Canada-based techie has petitioned Parrikar to allow Ola and Uber services in Goa to boost the coastal state's tourism economy, which Sardesai says is being choked by high-priced taxi services, scruffy taxi drivers, boost employment and ease traffic congestion.
"Tourism is the backbone of Goa's economy and tourists across the world and India are used to services like Ola and Uber, it's time to allow them to operate in Goa. Goan taxi drivers never use the taxi meters required by law and charge exorbitant rates for their services," Sardesai said in his petition uploaded on change.org.
A section of Goa's 7,000 odd tourist taxis and the drivers who man them have often been accused of over-charging, intimidating and operating in an unregulated environment.
Several attempts by the state government to install and implement a fare-meter system have failed; the members of taxi lobby have also attacked tour coach buses ferrying foreign tourists, accusing tour operators of depriving them of business.
Some years back, a flare-up between a Russian travel operator and a local taxi owner resulted in the murder of the latter, sparking hostilities between locals and Russian tourists, who account for a large chunk of the half million foreign tourists who visit the state every year.
Ola taxi services were introduced in Goa in 2014, but were soon stopped by the state transport department following protests by local taxi operators.
Sardesai now wants Parrikar and elected representatives not to succumb to the pressure from the taxi operator lobby this time round.
"We request that our elected representatives provide improved alternative which encourages innovation and competition instead of our broken taxi system and not to give in to the voice of taxi thugs looting tourists and Goans," the petition states.
The petition has found support from denizens of Goa as well as NRIs, tourists and even from the student community in Goa.
"I am a student of Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Goa. We end up paying unreasonable prices even while travelling short distances. And because they have a monopoly we are left with no option. Competition will only benefit the common citizen," says Khyati Jain.
"Time to end the private taxi monopoly plaguing Goa! It's just ridiculous that the government is still putting up with this system in Goa and leaving people with no choice at all," says Delano Furtado, a Mumbai-based lawyer.
Goa is a major beach tourism destination in the country and attracts over four million tourists every year.
IANS