Tourist taxi operators' strike at Mopa airport to continue; meeting with CM fails

A proposed meeting between protesting tourist taxi operators attached to the new international airport at Mopa in Goa and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant did not materialise on Friday afternoon, with the latter terming their agitation politically motivated.

The taxi operators from Manohar International Airport at Mopa have been protesting since Thursday, pressing for their various demands, including complete stoppage of illegal transport at this greenfield airport, operated by GMR Goa International Airport Limited.

The agitation was expected to be resolved on Friday afternoon after CM Sawant invited a delegation of the taxi operators to meet him at his official residence at Altinho in Panaji.

Around 25 agitators went to meet the CM but were denied permission. Officials asked them to come with 8-10 members, said Chetan Kamat, a leader of the taxi operators. 

The protesters demanded that the entire delegation be allowed to meet the CM, or else the meeting should be cancelled, he said.

Kamat told reporters outside the CM's residence that since the entire delegation was not allowed to participate in the meeting, they would be returning to Pernem in North Goa, where their agitation is underway.

He said their next move would be decided later in the evening.

Meanwhile, Sawant told the media that his government has addressed the concerns of taxi operators in a timely manner. However, the current protest by taxi operators in Pernem appears to be politically motivated, he said.

The CM said that his government remains committed to fulfilling the genuine demands of the tourism industry.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), an apex tourism organisation, has requested taxi owners to consider adopting app-based cab services, calling it essential for the "advancement" of the coastal state's tourism sector.

Addressing a press conference in Panaji, TTAG president Jack Sukhija said the hotel industry should come forward and promote app-based taxi services in association with the state government. 

Sukhija called app-based taxi services the need of the hour. I appeal to all the taxi operators to shift to app-based services, he added. 

The protesting taxi operators have demanded that those amongst them who are from Pernem be given a counter free of cost at the Mopa airport as they have sacrificed their land for the facility operational since January 2023.

They are also demanding immediate rollback of exorbitant parking charges and arrival-pick-up levies which, they claimed, were hiked without taking into confidence local authorities.

The protestors asked the airport management to stop illegality in the transport business currently being practised at the airport.