A shed for bike taxi pilots

Goa is probably the first state in India to legalise ­motorcycles as commercial vehicles, and service providers such as Rapido and Uber introduced bike taxis as a practical mode of transport more recently.

Earlier, the ‘pilots’, as the bike taxi riders in Goa are called, would stand under the merciless sun, or sometimes get drenched in the monsoon rains, as they waited for their ­pillion ­passengers. But now, thanks to RC Panaji Riviera, RID 3170, a dedicated shed for motorcycle taxis is in place in front of the KTCL premises in Panaji, for the pilots registered with the Goa Motorcycle Taxi ­Riders Association.

The taxi stand was inaugurated in August by transport minister Mauvin Godinho and KTCL managing director Derick Netto. DG Sharad Pai and club members led by their president Tanvi Attreya Sawant were present at the event.