PANAJI
In a major boost to Goa government’s plan to promote tourist-friendly mobility, five major industrial bodies have extended support to the proposed app-based transport aggregators.
Goa Technology Association (GTA), Laghu Udhyog Bgarati-Goa (LUB), Goa Automobile Dealers (GAD), Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) and Verna Industries Association (VIA) has backed Goa Taxi Aggregator draft guidelines calling it a key to improving workforce mobility and bolstering Goa’s industrial growth.
In a statement issued, GSIA has appealed the government to ensure a fair and transparent market environment for aggregators to operate in Goa.
“The guidelines represent a well-considered framework that seeks to balance the twin objectives of public convenience and equitable driver remuneration,” GSIA president Anirudh Dempo said.
He said that the proposed 3G model-Goa, Taxi, Goan drivers, government fairs- offers a structured approach to modernizing taxi services while protecting the interests of local stakeholders.
GTA President Sujeet Shetty said that it is a “timely and necessary reform that aligns governance with digital innovation”.
“App-based taxi services, when backed by a transparent and fair regulatory framework, can significantly improve the day-to-day mobility of tech professionals and enhance overall investor experience in Goa,” Shetty said.
GTA sees this move as a part of a broader vision for a digitally empowered Goa. “Such reforms will contribute meaningfully to making Goa a destination not only for tourists but also for companies and talent building the future of India,” he said.
VIA also said that they support the reform for its potential improve employees’ productivity, reduce traffic congestion and expand access to industrial zone.
“We urge the government to implement the guidelines in a time-bound manner and call upon all stakeholders to participate constructively in building a mobility eco-system that meets the growing need of Goa’s industrial sector,” VIA President Kalpak Arware said in the statement.
He said that such a framework is a much-needed intervention to improve workforce mobility and enhance the overall industrial ecosystem in the State.
LUB President Pallavi Salgaocar has urged the stakeholders including taxi operators to participate in shaping a mobility ecosystem that strengthens Goa’s economy and advances the broader national goal of a developed India.
“For Goa to emerge as a model of Viksit Bharat, such reforms are essential to building an inclusive, future-ready and innovation-driven economy,” she said.
Taxi unions have threatened to stage protests, saying the move would pave the way for the entry of private app-based taxi aggregators that could threaten their livelihood.
