Taxi operators’ protest in Goa to continue through weekend

Pernem, Goa: Protesting tourist taxi operators attached to the Manohar International Airport at Mopa in North Goa have decided to continue their agitation, despite an assurance from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for a high-level meeting with them on Monday.

Amit Sawant, one of the taxi operators’ leaders, told PTI that they welcomed the CM’s assurance about a meeting on Monday, but asserted that the strike will continue till their demands are met.

The tourist taxi operators, protesting since Thursday, have pressed for six demands, including stoppage of “illegalities” in the transportation business and the withdrawal of the counter of app-based cab aggregator Goa Miles at the airport.

The protesters were seen camping near the Shree Bhagwati temple at Pernem throughout the night on Friday, their second day here since they went on a strike.

A group of agitating taxi operators met the CM in Panaji on Friday evening, who assured them of a high-level meeting on Monday (August 26) to discuss their issues.

“I will meet the taxi operators on Monday along with the government officials concerned to address their demands. The government is serious about solving their issues,” the chief minister told reporters late Friday evening.

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 protesters asked the airport management to stop the “illegality” in the transport business currently being practised at the airport.