Even as a protest against the app-based GoaMiles escalates the Congress party urges taxi men to accept to change as change is inevitable. It also urges the government to take the taxi men’s problems into consideration.
Even as the All Goa Tourist Taxi Association (AGTTOA) has been opposing the introduction of new technology through app-based GoaMiles and has the support of Margao MLA and former Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, the Congress says they must accept change.
According to a Times of India report, Congress adopted a nuanced approach by stating that Goan taxi operators ‘need to accept the change’ that the state government is trying to bring in through its app-based taxi service GoaMiles.
Speaking to reporters, State Congress President, Girish Chodankar, said that for this to happen the state government and taxi unions need to come together and discuss the issue with ‘an open mind’.
According to this source, when asked if Congress would support the agitation, Chodankar said, “new technology cannot be stopped. Change is coming and change will continuously come. You need to accept the change.”
However, Chodankar also urged the government ‘which wants to try something new’ through GoaMiles to first understand the problems of the existing taxi owners.
It may be recalled that recently the All Goa Tourist Taxi Association (AGTTOA) together with groups representing operators of black and yellow taxi, motorcycles taxis, auto-rickshaws, and rent- a cab business expressed their ire against government-backed online taxi services such as GoaMiles, alleging that the advent of new taxis would end the business of local cabs.
Source: TOI
