Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (SR)

Panaji, Jul 4: President of North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA), Vasudev Arlekar on Wednesday said that they have given state government seven days to ban GoaMiles app-based taxi hailing service. Arlekar said the NGTTOA association members met CM Pramod Sawant on Monday and handed over a memorandum with their demands.

As reported in TOI, Arlekar in the presence of NGTTOA executive committee members said, "We have demanded a complete ban on the illegal GoaMiles app within seven days. In case the state government fails to stop GoaMiles, then we will decide our next course of action after seven days."

Arlekar said information acquired through RTI has revealed the Pune company operating GoaMiles has not received any licences from the transport department nor has the state government notified the taxi rates being charged by the GoaMiles taxi operators. Arlekar also said that the rates charged by GoaMiles are much lower than the rates notified by the state government in 2013.

The executive committee members said, "These rates are not economically viable. Let the government scrap GoaMiles first, then we are ready to consider joining it provided the rates are as per the government notified rates."