NT Reporter
Panaji
The State Transport Authority (STA) has decided to introduce a QR code-based taxi fare system aimed at bringing transparency to charges and reducing disputes between passengers and drivers.
Speaking about the decisions taken at a STA meeting, Calangute MLA and Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation chairman Michael Lobo has said an IT-generated QR code would be prominently displayed
on taxis.
This will allow passengers to scan it with their mobile phones and check the government-notified fare applicable to the journey.
“Customer should know the price they are paying,” Lobo said, explaining that the proposed system would allow passengers to know the fare based on distance and the applicable taxi category before or during their journey.
The move seeks to address a long-standing problem in Goa’s taxi sector, where passengers have frequently complained about uncertainty over fares and the non-use or disputes surrounding conventional taxi meters.
Lobo said the QR-based mechanism would provide a digital alternative that makes the government-approved tariff readily accessible to passengers.
“By scanning the code on a mobile phone, passengers can instantly view government-notified rates calculated by distance rather than relying on physical meters. It’s just a beginning of the digital platform,” he said.
The system is expected to cover different categories of taxis.
This, according to Lobo, would help ensure that the fare charged is not dependent solely on negotiations or uncertainty at the end of a journey.
The MLA said the initiative would be particularly significant for the tourism sector, where taxi services are extensively used by visitors.
However, he stressed that the benefits would extend beyond tourists to residents using taxis for daily travel.
