Goa: Section of tourist taxi operators withdraw strike

A section of tourist taxi operators on Wednesday called off their ongoing strike on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's assurance that their "lawful interests" would be honoured, hours after police arrested 48 operators and booked them under the Essential Services Maintenance Act.

However, most of the tourist taxis remained off roads throughout the day.

The state government imposed ESMA on August 1, a day before the tourist taxi operators began their strike demanding scrapping of the app-based cab service 'GoaMiles'.

Sawant had told the striking operators the government will not scrap 'GoaMiles' and gave them options to either design their own mobile application or run services the way they used to earlier.

"With the intervention of Chief minister, the Yellow-Black taxi owners association resolved to join back for regular work from tomorrow (Thursday). CM has assured them that their lawful interests will be honoured," the chief minister's office tweeted on Wednesday evening.

Earlier in the day, Old Goa police station inspector Jivba Dalvi said around 48 tourist taxi operators, who operated at Karmali railway station, were arrested for participating in the mass strike.

They were booked under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and provisions of the Goa ESMA.

'GoaMiles' is an initiative of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation, aimed at easing the travelling woes of tourists and helping Goan taxi drivers earn more. The service operates through a mobile phone application.

All Goa Tourist Taxi Association has yet to take a call on the future course of action.

State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had claimed some politicians from South Goa district were supporting the tourist taxi associations.

GoaMiles spokesman on Tuesday said as many as 48 taxis were damaged by unknown people since the strike by taxi operators began on August 2.