This is something very different happening in Goa and for the first time the Goans themselves have come out with the demand to have the OLA & UBER services in Goa. The Facebook campaign run by one of the Goan settled in Canada is taking the shape if the new revolution in the public transport services segment in Goa. Goans are claiming that that the local taxi operators are doing Gundagiri and fleecing the tourists and well as Goans.
According to the sources, the local taxi operators fleece the tourists coming to the state which gives the bad name to Goa’s Tourism Industry. Now the Goans does not require the services of local taxi operators and their intimidating nature which scares the tourists rather than making them feel at home, said the sources. The Goans have started the social media campaign to bring the OLA and UBER in the state and this process has been initiated by Mr. Mahesh Sardesai who is presently staying in Canada, said the sources.
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According to the sources, Mr. Mahesh wrote a letter to CM Parrikar stating that it is the high time for Goa really needs the drastic change in the public transport system and the OLA and UBER are the need of an hour. “Dear Manoharbhai (Manohar Parrikar), Tourism is the backbone of Goa’s economy and tourists across the world & India are used to services like OLA/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,” he wrote. The statement of Mahesh and his social media campaign has made the local taxi operator feel insecure and they have come out in the protest of the same.
The campaign presently running on the change.org portal has received the tremendous response from Goans as well tourists across the Indian and world. According to sources, more than 3500 people had signed the campaign within just a few hours and it is counting. According to Mahesh, the entry of OLA and UBER will have several benefits to Goans as well as the tourists coming to the state.
The entry of OLA and UBER in Goa will lead to boost the tourism in the state.
- It will boost the Tourism in the state.
- It will be the cheaper commuting with no return fare charges applicable.
- Gainful employment for the sincere people instead of Goonda taxi operators.
- Less number of cars and easier to park.
- shared OLA and UBER services will reduce the traffic conditions in the state.
- People don’t have to keep driver waiting and unnecessarily pay the waiting charges.
- The automatic tracking system will provide the better security.
- Convenient payment mode (cashless) with easy exact fare and no surprises.
- Quality customer service and instant feedback online.
Mr. Sardesai also appealed the elected representatives of Goa Assembly to extend their support to the entry of OLA and UBER in Goa. According to him, the new entrants will provide the improved alternative which encourages the innovation and competition instead of our existing broken taxi system and the taxi thugs looting the customers in broad daylight.
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The Goa Taxi union has come out against this move initiated on the social media by way of a petition by Mr. Sardesai to whom they addressed as a ‘TOUT’. The General Secretary of Goa Taxi Association Mr. Vinayak Naloskar told the media that, Goa Taxi Association has taken the serious cognisance of the statement made by the Sardesai. “We did not like the language used by him (Sardesai) calling the Goan taxi fellow as Goonda and Thug. It is unacceptable, Goans talking bad about the Goenkar is not fair,” said Vinayak adding that “I have replied back to him (Sardesai) on Facebook and I haven’t used the decent language for him.”
The Goa Taxi Association is ready to install the meters on their taxis, said Mr. Vinayak, provided the meters should be available in the open market. “When we said that we are not installing the meters in a taxi?,” he demanded to add that “But first tell me where to find the meters in Goa and suppose we bought the meters, who will do the after sales service in the same?.” He also blamed the government for not forming the right policies and fixing the fares of the meter. “The tourism booming in Goa because of us (Taxi Drivers) and we have the lions share in boosting the tourism in the state. The moment tourist enter the state they come first to us and these people who write on the Facebook have no idea of the same,” he added.
Meanwhile, another Goan Mr. Pankaj Kudtarkar told the media that, There is a serious need of OLA and UBER like services in Goa since the experience of Goans with the taxi operators are very bad. A lot of people have followed the status update posted by me on the Facebook. Each and every tourist coming to the state blames the local taxi operators for overcharging. They do not have meters installed and always ready to argue.”
The entry of OLA and UBER is inevitable but then what will happen to the local taxi operators? There is no possibility that the local taxi operators will be able to match the service standard and price structures offered by these multinational companies. Let’s wait and watch what happens next. Meanwhile, if you feel like sharing your experience about the local taxi operators please do write in the comments section or drop us the mail at [email protected]
NEWS SOURCE: VARIOUS SOURCES
IMAGE SOURCE: SOCIAL MEDIA
