Operators accuse app-based platforms of fare violations, say Goan youth are being sidelined with the entry of migrant drivers, and tech-driven services
Members of North and South Goa Taxi Union hand over a memorandum to South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes, seeking to highlight their plight in the Parliament.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Representatives of Goa’s 22,000-strong taxi operator community have intensified their opposition to what they describe as the “uncontrolled spread” of app-based taxi services in the State. Calling for stricter regulation, they have urged the government to enforce gazetted fare rates uniformly across all taxi services, including app-based platforms.
A delegation from the North and South Goa Taxi Union, led by President Sunil Anand Naik and Secretary Savio Goes, met with South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes at the South District Collectorate on Thursday. The union presented a memorandum demanding that Niz Goemkars (local Goans) be prioritised for taxi permits, citing fears of economic displacement due to an influx of migrant-operated app taxis. The memorandum called for prioritising permits for local Goans and restricting the unchecked entry of migrants into the sector.
The memorandum also called for the government to consult local taxi associations before launching or expanding technology-based transport services. It urged the creation of a Goa-specific, sustainable transport policy that reflects the State’s unique size, culture, and economy.
The taxi men have called for a reassessment of the impact of app-based platforms on local livelihoods and community safety. “We are not just asking for rules; we are asking for fairness. We are not against technology, but we are against its misuse. Goa must grow, but it must grow with its people, not against them,” the memorandum stated.
It added: “We hope our voices will be heard; not as opposition, but as the rightful guardians of a transport system that once helped build Goa's tourism and will proudly continue to do so.”
Operators allege that app-based services are offering fares up to 30 per cent lower than the gazetted rates, leading to unfair competition. “If the government has set official fares, why are these platforms allowed to undercut them?” asked Naik. “Most of us have followed every rule. We've bought permits, maintained our vehicles, and served tourists and locals with honesty. But now, we're being pushed aside. These app-based taxis are largely operated by migrants, many of whom seem to have no trouble getting permits, while our Goan youth remain jobless and disheartened,” he added.
Saying the taxi men are deeply worried not just for their income, but for the safety of their children, Naik said: “These taxis park for hours in residential and village areas. We don't know who the drivers are. We don't know their intentions. Our villages, once quiet and safe, now feel crowded and tense.”
He added, “We are not against technology. We understand times are changing. But should progress come at the cost of Goan jobs, Goan safety, and Goan identity?”
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‘Revolution is brewing’: MP warns ministers over labelling taxi operators as mafias
MARGAO: Terming Goan taxi and rickshaw operators, besides motorcycle pilots, as the tourism ambassadors of Goa, South Goa MP Capt Viriato Fernandes on Thursday warned that a day will come when Ministers and MLAs will have to face the wrath of these very ambassadors for calling them "robbers and mafias".
The MP has warned that a "revolution is brewing in the State", wherein those who accuse the Goan taxi operators of being mafias will have to face “chappals” from the operators. “These Ministers will have to face the brunt and the anger of the taxi operators who make a living through hard work, but are now being called 'chors and mafias',” he warned.
The MP said no Minister or MLA has played any role in making Goa a world-famous tourist destination over the years. “It is these tourism stakeholders, such as the taxi and rickshaw operators and the motorcycle pilots, who took the tourists to various places of touristic importance in Goa and not the government,” he said.
He criticised ongoing efforts to sideline these workers, accusing Ministers of being “hell-bent” on troubling them. “These Ministers live off the sweat and blood of the taxi operators. Instead of being honoured, they are labelled as chors and mafias. We will fight their battle until justice is done.”
Viriato also questioned whether the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has recognised taxi operators as key stakeholders. “TTAG should engage with Goan taxi unions before promoting app-based services,” he said.
