PANAJI
Over a month after the State government published its draft guidelines to regulate taxi aggregators, the Transport Department has received 3,519 objections and 455 supportive suggestions from various stakeholders, mainly from tourist taxi operators.
A State Transport Authority (STA) meeting is expected soon to deliberate on the objections and suggestions.
Transport officials revealed to The Goan that the majority of objections raised just three primary concerns ” possible arbitrary pricing due to lack of transparency, the absence of transitional support for traditional taxi operators, and practical challenges such as poor mobile network coverage in remote parts of Goa. Environmental sustainability was also raised citing zero incentives for electric vehicles or other eco-friendly transport solutions.
“Although we have received maximum objections, it seems there is nothing different except three objections in every submission. Nevertheless, we will submit all feedback to the STA. A meeting is scheduled shortly. The STA will then submit its recommendations to the government. A final decision will be taken thereafter,” an official said. The draft was open for feedback till June 19, which was extended till June 30.
The draft guidelines proposed strict penalties for unlicensed aggregator operations. Operators who violate licence conditions could face penalties up to Rs 50 lakh and blacklisting. Besides, each instance of fare manipulation could attract Rs 5 lakh fine.
To encourage responsible operations, the Department proposed regular audits and inspections to monitor compliance. The draft prescribed Rs 5 lakh fee for the grant or renewal of aggregator licences. A refundable security deposit of Rs 10 lakh will be required, along with Rs 50,000 for issuing duplicate licences or address changes.
On the incentives side, the draft sought to reward vehicle owners and drivers using aggregator apps. Owners who complete at least 500 trips annually may receive up to 50 percent of their insurance premium reimbursed, capped at Rs 20,000. If the vehicle is operated by a female driver, the reimbursement could go up to 100 percent, or Rs 30,000.
In a bid to promote female entrepreneurship and electric vehicles, a subsidy of Rs 1 lakh has been proposed for the purchase of new electric cabs and Rs 20,000 for e-bikes or e-rickshaws. These subsidies would be released in two stages ” at the time of purchase and after completing 500 trips within a year.
