Call off strike or will invite Uber, Ola to Goa, govt tells striking cabbies

Panaji: In a stern warning to striking tourist taxi operators, Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Friday said if the "illegal" strike is not withdrawn by Saturday, the state government will invite taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola to operate in Goa.

"If the illegal taxi strike is not withdrawn by Saturday, then the transport department shall invite leading taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola to operate in Goa, for which entire responsibility shall lie upon the office-bearers of the taxi union(s)," Dhavalikar told reporters late on Friday night, after striking taxi operators extended their one-day strike by another day to Saturday.

The strike has been called by tourist taxi associations in North Goa and South Goa districts, protesting against the implementation of speed governors on tourist taxis, harassment by Transport Department and police officials.

The strike was extended by another day, after taxi union operators said that the state government had failed to give concrete assurances to the taxi operators, who staged a demonstration in the state capital.

Dhavalikar claimed that the state government had taken a "strong view" of the strike and those taxi operators whose services had been hired by various government departments for officials or official work and did not report for duty.

"I have directed the government departments concerned to send a report to the government and we shall decide on their termination and suspension of permits in due course of time," Dhavalikar added.