Calangute MLA Micheal Lobo assured his full support to the Calangute Taxi Owner’s Association’ in their fight against the entry of OLA and UBER Cabs services in Goa. He told the taxi owners and operators that he will not allow the OLA and UBER in the state and advised them to build their own APP on the platform of OLA and UBER.
Mr. Lobo was listening to the grievances of the Taxi Owner’s Association at Calangute. According to the local taxi operators and owners, there is no need of OLA and UBER in the small state of Goa and they won’t allow it. The demand for the better taxi service has started gaining the momentum in the state after one of the Goan Origin NRI from Canada had launched the social media petition against the local taxi operators and suggested the entry of OLA and UBER in Goa.
The online petition spread like a wildfire in the state and within a few days, more than 7500 people signed the petition. The social media was full of criticism leveled against the local taxi operators and owners. The Association of Taxi operator came ahead with the explanation but it was too late as the drive against them had reached to the next level.
Finding no way out now the taxi owners and operators under the banner of association had approached the Calangute MLA and Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Mr. Micheal Lobo who in turn assured them the complete support from him and he assured them that the matter will be solved with the mediation of Mr. Parrikar within three months time. Meanwhile, he asked the Taxi Operators and Owners to develop their own APP and provide the service on par with OLA and UBER in Goa. “You people just forget about the UBER and OLA and start your own APP and service,” said Mr. Lobo adding that it is the common practice that anyone who needs the taxi will search for it online and if the APP is available it will become easier. “Tomorrow if I need a taxi while I am on my beach shack then why should somebody search for the taxi? I just make use of your services with the help of an APP. But guys do it yourself and don’t give it into the third party’s hand.”
While speaking to the media Mr. Lobo said that the taxi owners are very angry. “I spoke to the CM and asked him for his time to take up this issue on a priority basis. I wanted to follow the same procedure we did at the time of handling the Garbage issue. We will have the series of meetings before we reach to some conclusion,” he said. According to Mr. Lobo, there is no need of getting the OLA and UBER in the state instead, he wants the taxi owners in Goa should have their own APP and provide the services like OLA and UBER. “It is the job of Taxi owners and Drivers to come ahead and build an APP for themselves on the platform of OLA and UBER,” said Mr. Lobo.
Taking on the people who made an allegation on the Taxi drivers about their bad behavior Mr. Lobo said that “All the apples are not good in one box and same applies to the Taxi Owners and operators too.” According to him, the bad deeds of the some selected people makes all the taxi operator pay for it and that is not fair. “We are going to discuss even these points as to how to build the system and put that into the place in the meeting with CM.” Mr. Lobo assured of solving the problems of Taxi Owners and Operators within next three months time.
Meanwhile, the Taxi owners are very angry on the campaign run against them by the Goan origin NRI from Canada. “We are not against the government’s decision of installing the meters on our taxis but it has to be done in a fair manner which is not happening,” said one the taxi owner adding that “It is the government who is unable to take the firm decision on this issue instated they are trying to find out the loopholes in it.” The taxi operators also called themselves as the safest since there will be seldom any case of molestation or rape by the local taxi operators in the state of Goa, unlike OLA and UBER. He also called the OLA and UBER drivers as the molesters and rapists.
The Taxi operators feel that if the government intervene into this matter and extend the help to taxi owners and operators the Goa’s Taxi business will remain in the hands of Goans otherwise with OLA and UBER again the outsiders will enter into the state and spoil our beautiful Goa. What is your opinion? Do you think that Goa needs the services of OLA and UBER? Will the OLA and UBER generate the healthy competition or cutthroat business in Goa? Please do share your valuable feeds here.
NEWS SOURCE : VARIOUS SOURCES
IMAGE SOURCE: FINANCIAL EXPRESS
