Thanks to the CM for firm stand on taxi strike that app based taxis can still pickup guests from hotels and clarified the false statements by Churchill Alemao. But as Tourist taxis will not join the Government sponsored monopoly GoaMiles (GM), we are back to square one with status quo, so nothing changes for lifestyle of Goans and tourists in terms of mobility, the taxi loot will continue.

First, please go through the first time taxi debate in Goa Assembly (<-url) and the summary by CM Dr Pramod Sawant. Well done, Goa Government. In the past the decisions were always behind closed doors.

Let us first look at the history of the Goa Taxi Revolution. After our online petition which went viral more than 2 years ago with thousands of signatures in a few hours, the MLAs asked the taxi mafia that they should come up with their own app. The taxi mafia did analysis from other major cities and asked the Government to provide the app and the discussions always ended with stalemate. After the taxi strike in Jan 2018, finally a tender was floated to provide them app through GTDC. The mafia thought they could keep looting for some more time until app is ready. But when the app was launched and they ganged up and refused to join GM. After one year of launch, the Goa Government is still foolishly waiting for them to join the GM app which is priced too high for any local to afford a taxi and it will not change lifestyle of Goans. Indian tourists who are used to fares outside Goa will complain about being looted and will prefer other destinations. To add to fact that MLA's have now agreed to allocate Re1/km to taxi driver fund with another Re1/km from tax payers which is abuse of their dominant position with GM monopoly.

GoaMiles is used by limited number of people from airport counter and the software will not be able to handle 30,000 taxi drivers to meet demand. If the taxi drivers do join, the notorious taxi drivers will try to break the system and complain all the time.There is already news that GM servers crashed due to load from additional trips. The taxi mafia will permanently get an excuse that app based taxi system is not working. It is better the Government takes this opportunity to invite Ola Uber to promote Tourism. The benefits offered by these companies are much better than the Government supported monopoly GoaMiles. Only then the Government will be able to be freed from the goons issues and focus on development. The GM surveys are voted by students form Jalgaon, Nasik who are friends of Mr Dhabade hoping to get a job and have never visited Goa.

During the strike some people used the WhatsApp taxi and facebook group for carpool started by some good Samaritans. The Government should permanently establish the WhatsApp group for the purpose of helping Tourists in distress and promoting tourism and the same system could be used for complaints and survey for tourists. This will help in providing instant feedback on experiences of tourists which goes into bad feedback in travel forums and has permanently dented image of Goa. During the strike, the state issued notices for cancelling 45 tourist taxi permits. Well done. This is the way to go.

Based on this strike and the statements by various stakeholders, here is the analysis of current situation with supporting url's. The high class taxi drivers from coastal belt do not want to give up their taxi driver job as lucrative salesmen, it is very easy to conclude this is the root of the issue. It is the duty of the Goa Government to verify the scenarios mentioned here for future direction in the interest of people of Goa, forget Tourism.

Over the years the taxi drivers get hefty commissions from tourism related businesses and some of these businesses are illegal - sponsored by the notorious politician. Massage parlors charge Rs1500, the taxi driver's commission is Rs1000. In the goa assembly it was mentioned that some of these massage parlors are actually brothels. It is also mentioned by Arvind Bhatikar that Goa is on the verge of becoming the prostitution capital if the world . 

Some of them could have nexus with drug cartel. As stated in the assembly by Babush, the police are also involved and get their commissions. The whole operation is so secret that CM has stated the Kingpin of drugs trade in Goa yet to be identified: CM and the drugs and prostitution business is badly affecting the local population and CM confirms that many Goan youth arrested in drug trade.

Tourism involves taxi pickup from airport/railway stations and covers 3/5 star and other hotels. The coastal belt hotels have been under control of mafia posting their own taxi drivers loyal to the union who are paying fees to the taxi union so they can keep looting. The union charges fee to these taxi drivers and it's a dangerous group of people consisting of taxi drivers, police and politicians combined who think they can  control the government, forget about law and order. They have shown they are above the law by enforcing their own rules to fit this business model. No friends/family can pick up the hotel guests. Many taxi owners have employed taxi drivers from outside the state who are here just to make fast money. We mostly see the Goan taxi owners during the strike but majority of the taxi drivers are outsiders recruited by goan taxi owners who sit at home doing nothing. Some of these taxi owners own fleets of rent-a-bike, rent-a-car, shacks, brothels and even private buses. Notorious politicians who are instigating the taxi drivers have invested in some of these illegal businesses, they are so close that they even paid for their dinner during the strike meeting. This small group of few thousand Coastal Tourist taxis of high class goondas are calling the shots for the remaining taxi drivers taxi drivers who are less well off. They have created a mental block for the majority of taxi drivers who could possibly join app based taxi if the benefits are presented to them with proper incentives by GoaMiles.  The Government should facilitate this now after having broken the unity of the taxi mafia. In fact if these "low class taxi drivers" join GM they can teach a lesson to the "high class rich taxi drivers" of the coastal belt reporting to the taxi union.

During the strike they have damaged many GoaMiles taxis but since this is a govt partnership, ultimately the damages will be paid by the tax payers. After damaging the GM cars the goondas tell the people that it was a peaceful agitation and they haven't really gone on strike. There is zero tax collection from these businesses, all are mostly illegal cash transactions where no income taxes are paid. The Government is giving undue concessions for them - the mafia has also got some taxis replaced at tax payers expense in spite of making huge amount of money.

The beauty of taxi app is that it allocates the closest driver and the high class coastal belt goonda drivers will lose their sales commissions from the illegal businesses which are secretly controlled together with police and the politicians. There is a policing cost to keep these under control but the police and politicians are also into it so it's impossible to change, the police intelligence has so far failed. So in a way the taxi app will reduce or expose the drug and prostitution business without policing cost to the tax payer.

The Government should ask taxis to stick to their Tourist Taxi agreement and register new Goans domiciled in the state for Goa Miles just like Ola, Uber. GTDC has have been saying this for last one year but now is the time as enough has been done. So Government has taken care of their livelihood by giving them the option in line with tourist needs of today. Asking to scrap Goa Miles is the vested interest of a much smaller group, there is no reason to wait any longer. The bottom line is the obsolete looting taxi licensing model of the past which was good when it was introduced has created a monster that has defied the ESMA, they are least bothered about tourism and has taken the Government to ransom.  The taxi licensing model is abandoned in all progressive cities worldwide.

Even now if the Government has to agree on app or meters, The taxi mafia has said that the fare rates on official gazette have to be increased over and above what GM is charging which means meter fares will be pretty expensive and delayed too long. They will also insist on the taxi union control of their taxi salesmen for their illegal businesses and also the meters can be conveniently switched off when they want to loot. The meters don't provide the convenience our tourists need, are used to and they prefer to come to Goa with their own vehicle. The only solution is competition with app based taxis but even if the taxi mafia comes up with their own app they will never agree with government on the rates.

Once the registrations start for Goa Miles and Goa Miles start increasing the business the licensed taxi drivers will automatically become redundant along with the old system, even if they agree to taxi meter and will be forced to join the app or create another alternative. By making them join the app this way the Government is solving all the other related illegal businesses as well for which policing has become totally useless.

Ex-Transport Minister Sudin Dhavlikar is blaming Manohar Parrikar for the taxi issue. Dhavlikar was completely useless as a transport minister and was hand in hand with the taxi mafia and kept promising taxi meters and speed governors to the public. Even after we submitted all the information in GOA TAXI REVOLUTION - TAMING THE MONSTER he did not do anything.

We have also approached Competition commission of India last year and they have investigated the Taxi Monopoly in Goa in March 2019 after personally visiting Goa and interviewing various stakeholders. They sent summons to taxi union. We are in touch with them about the illegal monopoly created by taxi mafia as well as Goa Miles by the Goa Government. This has been again re-registered and followed up under Prime Minister's office as grievance DCOYA/E/2019/01818S date 8 Aug 2019

copy to CM - cm.goa@nic.in
Grievance with Prime Minister's office
GOVGO/E/2019/00043 - 6 Mar 2019 - Goamiles the illegal monopoly
GOVGO/E/2019/00115 - 22 Jun 2019 - Taxi mafia monopoly against Goa Miles monopoly
GOVGO/E/2019/00165 - 10 Aug 2019 - Coastal Belt high Class loot
Youtube video:  https://youtu.be/U8O_VdT8x8I

Stay tuned ...

7 Aug 2019 - Churchill Fears For Colva Village Youths Due To Massage Parlours Indulged In Prostitution
https://www.facebook.com/InGoa24x7/videos/2397977433796220/

2 Aug 2019 - GOA WILL BECOME GLOBAL PROSTITUTION CAPITAL- BHATIKAR
https://www.facebook.com/PrimeGoaChannel/videos/380615269306704

27 Jul 2019 - CCP HARBORED ILLEGAL MIGRANTS INDULGED IN DRUG PEDDLING: GOA POLICE
https://youtu.be/FgBBmZibrZs

23 Jul 2019 - Kingpin of drugs trade in Goa yet to be identified: CM
https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/kingpin-of-drugs-trade-in-goa-yet-to-be-identified-cm-119072300518_1.html

10 Aug 2019 - Sawant claims taxi issue in Goa has been resolved
http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=53479

9 Aug 2019 - Goa CM: Overcharging by hotels to be addressed by government
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/cm-overcharging-by-hotels-to-be-addressed-by-govt/articleshow/70612725.cms

23 Jul 2019 - Many Goan youth arrested in drug trade: M Sawant
https://youtu.be/S4oPGHTlMCU

8 Aug 2019 - Goa: 2 more taxi associations call off strike, to work from today
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/2-more-taxi-associations-call-off-strike-to-work-from-today/articleshow/70595961.cms

8 Aug 2019 - South Goa taxi operators call off strike
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/south-goa-taxi-operators-call-off-strike/articleshow/70592458.cms

8 Aug 2019 - FIR against 48 taximen from Karmali
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/fir-against-48-taximen-from-karmali/articleshow/70578992.cms

8 Aug 2019 - Drugs and prostitution are social problems: Opposition leader
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Drugs-and-prostitution-are-social-problems-Opposition-leader/149807

6 Aug 2019 - ‘Parrikar is to be blamed for taxi issue’
https://navhindtimes.in/parrikar-is-to-be-blamed-for-taxi-issue/

6 Aug 2019 Cabbies to surrender en masse over 26,000 taxi permits
http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Cabbies-to-surrender-en-masse-over-26000-taxi-permits-/149661

6 Aug 2019 State issues show cause notices for cancelling 45 tourist taxi permits
http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/State-issues-show-cause-notices-for-cancelling-45-tourist-taxi-permits-/149662

6 Aug 2019 - Families suffer in silence as Bicholim, Sattari turn into drug dens
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/families-suffer-in-silence-as-bicholim-sattari-turn-into-drug-dens/articleshow/70563979.cms

4 Aug 2019 - Goa: Shack owners’ body may back striking cabbies
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/shack-owners-body-may-back-striking-cabbies/articleshow/70517285.cms

4 Aug 2019 - Senior citizens bear the brunt of taxi strike
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/senior-citizens-bear-the-brunt-of-taxi-strike/articleshow/70517206.cms

4 Aug 2019 - BJP supports GoaMiles, opposes outside taxi aggregators in Goa
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/bjp-supports-goamiles-opposes-outside-taxi-aggregators-in-goa/articleshow/70523508.cms

4 Aug 2019 - Locals group via social media, replace cabbies, help tourists
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/locals-group-via-social-media-replace-cabbies-help-tourists/articleshow/70517347.cms

4 Aug 2019 - Cabbie held for stopping GoaMiles driver, released on bail
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/cabbie-held-for-stopping-goamiles-driver-released-on-bail/articleshow/70517370.cms

4 Aug 2019 - Dabolim airport turns into Kadamba kingdom
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/dabolim-airport-turns-into-kadamba-kingdom/articleshow/70517200.cms

4 Aug 2019 - Taxi union leader held for threatening GoaMiles driver
http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=53321

4 Aug 2019 - Tourist Taxi Union leader arrested for threatening GoaMiles driver
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Tourist-Taxi-Union-leader-arrested-for-threatening-GoaMiles-driver-/149630

4 Aug 2019 - Taxi strike has no significant impact on tourism sector: Industry
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Taxi-strike-has-no-significant-impact-on-tourism-sector-Industry-/149631

4 Aug 2019 - Govt warns unruly taxi operators with permit cancellation
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Govt-warns-unruly-taxi-operators-with-permit-cancellation/149634

3 Aug 2019 - Bapp Korgaonkar arrested
https://www.facebook.com/InGoa24x7/videos/369390567080772/
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/cabbie-held-for-restraining-goamiles-driver-released-on-bail/articleshow/70512998.cms

3 Aug 2019 - ‘Won’t withdraw strike till government agrees to our demand’
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/wont-withdraw-strike-till-govt-agrees-to-our-demand/articleshow/70517368.cms

3 Aug 2019  - Miffed tourists may not visit Goa again
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/miffed-tourists-may-not-visit-state-again/articleshow/70505610.cms

3 Aug 2019 - Goa taxi owners go on indefinite strike, hold state to ransom
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/taxi-owners-go-on-indefinite-strike-hold-state-to-ransom/articleshow/70505601.cms

3 Aug 2019 - In flash strike, taxis stay off the road
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/In-flash-strike-taxis-stay-off-the-road/149595

3 Aug 2019 - Firm on decision government asks taxis to join or start app
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Firm-on-decision-government-asks-taxis-to-join-or-start-app/149594

2 Aug 2019 - ESMA in place but govt can’t take action
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/esma-in-place-but-govt-cant-take-action/articleshow/70505616.cms

2 Aug 2019 Strike has benefitted us say GoaMiles drivers
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/strike-has-benefitted-us-say-goamiles-drivers/articleshow/70505544.cms

1 Aug 2019 Taxi operators rejects Goa CM proposal to join GoaMiles
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/taxi-operators-rejects-goa-cm-proposal-to-join-goamiles/articleshow/70492057.cms

1 Aug 2019 GoaMiles is now Goa government’s licensed app-based taxi service
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/goamiles-is-now-goa-governments-licensed-app-based-taxi-service/articleshow/70483779.cms

1 Aug 2019 Taximen sour, say they were given false assurances
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/taximen-sour-say-they-were-given-false-assurances/articleshow/70489675.cms

31 Jul 2019 Goa Assembly debate - 2hrs 40 min
https://www.facebook.com/InGoa24x7/videos/620100028520720/?t=13390