Warns against entry of private aggregators in State
MAPUSA
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has called for the creation of a state-run digital platform for taxis, warning that opening Goa to multiple private aggregators would “finish traditional Goan taxi owners.
Lobo, who attended the nearly two-hour meeting between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and taxi operators on Friday, said that drivers had agreed to operate under a digital system but had unanimously rejected the entry of private aggregators.
The meeting, he revealed, was originally scheduled for Monday but was advanced to Friday at his request.
“The taxi operators have agreed to a digital platform and they do not want any other aggregators to come into the State,” Lobo told reporters after the meeting.
The government is currently preparing the Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines 2025, which are in line with central government rules allowing multiple aggregators.
Lobo admitted that the State is bound by central policy for now, but insisted that a State policy must override it to protect local livelihoods.
“More players will kill the taxi business. You will find outsiders coming here, companies buying vehicles, and then the Goan traditional taxi owners will be finished. We need to protect the interests of Goans,” he argued.
Explaining his proposal, Lobo said the digital system would work as a fare display platform rather than an app.
“It’s not an app. It’s a digital fare meter. Customers will know the fare beforehand – say, from Mapusa to Colvale. There will be no bargaining, no overcharging or underquoting,” he said.
According to him, areas like hotels could be geo-fenced, ensuring that only registered taxis attached to the digital platform could operate within designated zones.
“A hotel will be geo-fenced so that nobody else can come there. Customers cannot call other taxis. For instance, GoaMiles cannot come inside to pick up passengers,” he explained.
Lobo stressed that a uniform fare system was the only way to ensure transparency and fairness.
“Once the State policy comes into force, it will stop multiple aggregators from entering the market. The fare will be uniform and transparent as per policy,” he added.
Taxi operators, who have long resisted the entry of private app-based services, placed these suggestions before the Chief Minister during the meeting.
The government is expected to hold further consultations before finalising the draft guidelines.
