Political will, not polls, should determine long-overdue reforms in Goa’s taxi sector
The state government’s decision to keep the long-pending Goa Digital Taxi Policy – meant to modernise the public transport sector with tech-driven services – on hold until the next Assembly election is a major setback for locals and tourists.
In March, while presenting the State Budget 2026-27, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the government would roll out the Goa Digital Taxi Policy this year. Earlier, the government had announced plans to introduce digital taxis in September 2025. However, on Tuesday, after a review meeting, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said the administration was unlikely to take any major decision on the long-pending taxi issue until the next Assembly elections. “Efforts to introduce a digital platform for the taxi sector failed to get the support of taxi operators and political representatives… there will be elections in the next six months. Which government of the day will take any such harsh decision when elections are so close?” he reportedly said. The question that arises is: what stopped the government from enforcing an app-based system over the last four years?
Now, we are back to square one. The taxi issue has been dogging the state for nearly two decades, with every government announcing an early solution to the problem. When Congress was in power between 2005 and 2012, the BJP criticised it for pandering to taxi operators. Yet, despite being in power for the past 15 years—during which tourist numbers have more than trebled—the BJP has failed to deliver a digital system when it is needed most.
The Chief Minister always spoke of taking a tough stand against errant taxi operators and was praised by commuters for trying to bring taxis under a digital platform. The global tourism industry operates on digital taxi apps; why should Goa be an exception? This was the line taken by the Chief Minister and his colleagues—the tourism and transport ministers too. And rightly so. In fact, Godinho has always been vociferous against errant taxi operators. As Transport Minister, he had shown the courage to proceed with an app-based system for transparent taxi fares. But within a few months, he slowed down. “My hands are tied. What can I do?” he said on Tuesday, indicating he did not have a free hand to crack the whip. Why did the government develop cold feet at a time when even supporters of the taxi lobby, like Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, support a digital system?
This failure does not just impact tourists. It also dashes the hopes of locals for transparent fares. It is depressing that the BJP, with 32 MLAs on its side (in a House of 39), has failed to introduce app-based taxis. Goa’s flip-flop policy on tourist taxis seems to be the main reason why domestic tourists are increasingly relying on their own vehicles or rent-a-cab services. A correlation can also be observed between the lack of a dependable app-based taxi service and drunken-driving-related accidents, as many who have consumed alcohol often have no convenient alternative to driving themselves. Another is increased pressure of private vehicles on Goa’s roads.
Deferring this policy is blatant vote-bank politics that prioritises private gain over public interest. Legalising illegal houses on comunidade and government land—that too with high-speed implementation—seems to be more important to the government than overhauling public transport with digital services. If the much-touted “double engine sarkar” cannot roll out the Goa Digital Taxi Policy, then what good governance are we talking about? Transport is another sector in which the government has failed to show its spine.
