Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen has inspected the taxi queue at Velana International Airport (VIA) amid persistent complaints about its operation. To address the issues, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has launched a collaborative operation with the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL).
Reports of problems in the airport taxi queues, voiced by both tourists and locals, have been on the rise. Among the complaints received are instances of taxi drivers refusing to travel to certain destinations, overloading vehicles with passengers, and charging fares higher than those set by the ministry.
In response, the ministry established a Taxi Complaints Committee to investigate public grievances and propose solutions Investigations into received complaints have been thorough, and appropriate actions have been taken accordingly.
Accompanied by senior officials from the ministry, MPS, and MACL, Minister Ameen personally assessed the taxi queue area to gain firsthand insights into its operation.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation devised a comprehensive plan for airport taxi management in collaboration with relevant ministries and MACL. The MPS will actively participate in the implementation of this plan, ensuring strict measures against illegal taxi operations, including those conducted by foreign drivers.