Panaji: The very survival of motorcycle pilots and rickshaw operators are threatened due to COVID-19 as they have to fend for themselves alone with neither local customers nor tourists to board their vehicles as well as no relief package to help them to sustain the lockdown.
While speaking to this daily, they felt that the government should provide some kind of relief/package to support their families during the lockdown period or till the tourism season picks up in the state.
They (motorcycle pilots and rickshaw drivers) alleged that they lost hope, when they discovered that there was no relief package from the government to the taxi and tourist taxi owners who are suffering huge losses due to the coronavirus lockdown and some have taken to selling fruits and vegetables to sustain their livelihood.
Nearly 25 per cent of the Goan population thrives on taxi business, imagine the plight of their families, their children, education, medical and other daily expenses.
The taxi owners have said that the government has told them that there is not enough money to provide relief package during this precarious situation. Hence, the taxi owners could not make any representation to the government.
Rickshaw operators and motorcycle pilots said that they are facing survival problems as there are no customers since March 22.
Many of these motorcycle pilots from surrounding areas of the city and their business flourished due to the tourism industry as it is one of the unique attractions as many visitors patronised and enjoyed the motorcycle ride.
Tourists use it as it is the fastest mode of transport to get a first hand view of the city.
“But now, the tragedy is that these rickshaw operators and pilots hit the stands as early as 6 am and go home at 7 pm without a penny in their pockets, while sometime they get 1-2 short trips that does not even fetch them milk and bread in the morning for breakfast,’’ revealed a rickshaw operator.
Rickshaw operators thrive mostly on ferrying children, teachers, parents specially those who are attached to schools, colleges and educational institutions but now all are closed and it has become a tough job for them to generate income for daily expenses.