NT Reporter
Panaji
Stating that a draft Goa taxi policy will be released by September 10, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the new policy will replace the draft aggregator guidelines issued in May which had invited suggestions and objections from the stakeholders.
The decision on bringing out a draft taxi policy was arrived at after a meeting held at the Mantralaya in Porvorim with taxi operators, who pressed for a complete ban on taxi aggregator apps and demanded scrapping of the existing guidelines.
“This isn’t just about rate rationalisation. It’s about transparency, security and fair pricing. Tourists should feel safe. We have taken into consideration all suggestions from taxi stakeholders, and the updated draft state taxi policy will be released on September 10,” Sawant, who chaired the meet, said. The Chief Minister further said the new policy will supersede the earlier notification on draft aggregator guidelines.
Taxi operators’ union leaders said they were happy with the discussion held in the meeting. They said the Chief Minister agreed to their demands.
Earlier, a large number of taxi operators marched to the Secretariat in the afternoon demanding that app-based taxi service aggregator guidelines be scrapped in Goa.
The meeting was attended by Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao, Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa, Saligao MLA Kedar Naik, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and other coastal MLAs besides senior officials from the tourism and transport departments.
Stressing on digitalisation in the tourism sector, particularly in taxi services, Khaunte ruled out the granting of permission to Ola and Uber taxi services in the state.
Lobo said the Chief Minister was urged to frame a state taxi policy with a digital platform only for the taxi operators, excluding the aggregators. He said there was a need for transparency in the taxi business so that the tourism sector could thrive further.
