100 US Tourists Stopped From Boarding Bus By Taxi Operators In Goa

A group of 100 American tourists who arrived at Mormugao Port in Goa could not proceed on a sight-seeing trip of the coastal state after irate taxi operators stopped them from boarding designated buses, following which police began a probe, officials said on Thursday.

The incident took place on Wednesday and cruise operators met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and lodged a protest claiming such incidents would damage the tourism friendly image and potential of the state.

"A group of taxi drivers stopped buses that had gone to the port to pick up some 100 tourists from the United States of America. They had arrived on the cruise ship 'Ocean Odyssey'. The tourists had to walk almost a kilometre to get to the buses but had to return to the ship," Francis Vaz of tour operating firm 'Le Passage to India' said.

"There was also a fight between taxi operators and a bus driver. Mormugao police had to intervene but the arrogant taxi operators refused to back down. The American tourists had to cancel their sight-seeing trip. The ship left for Kochi in Kerala on Thursday," he added.

After meeting tour operators and other stakeholders from the tourism sector, Chief Minister Sawant on Thursday told reporters an inquiry was underway and action will be taken in connection with the incident.

Such incidents will not be tolerated, the Chief Minister said. adding police had been directed to arrest those involved in the alleged assault on a bus driver.

A 'preventive action report' will be sent to higher authorities against the taxi operators involved in the incident, Mormugao police station in-charge Raghoba Kamat said.

A probe is underway into the incident, Raghoba Kamat added.

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