Digital meters for taxis in two weeks: Godinho

PANAJI  
The government will move ahead with its decision of installing digital meters in taxis within two weeks, stated Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho at a presentation held at Porvorim on the new traffic rules that are to be implemented from May 1.

The meters will be installed free of cost for all the nearly 20,000 taxis in the State, disclosed Godinho. He added that funds to the tune of Rs 34 crore have been earmarked for this exercise. 

Godinho also informed that the State Transport Authority (STA) will meet shortly to decide on the revision of taxi fares. “In 15 days time rates will be fixed and intimated to the operators,” he said. 

He informed further that the department will have a meeting with all taxi business stakeholders before revising the fares and installing digital meters in taxis.

He said the government will streamline the running of taxis at the airport in a manner that will be satisfactory and accepted by all stakeholders who are in the taxi trade and added, “GoaMiles and other taxi counters at the airport are not run as per the rules.” 

The streamlining process will be started once the Tourism Department hands over the taxi counters under it to the Transport Department, he added.  “But demands like scrap GoaMiles will not help the cause of taxi drivers. I want to caution them,” said Mauvin.   Nobody can dictate to the government, he warned.  

Meanwhile, the Transport Minister said the new Motor Vehicle Act implementing authorities will be lenient for the first three months. “I have told them not to be harsh initially. Let three months pass so that people get used to it,” he added. The new MVA imposing hefty fines on traffic violators will come into force in the state from May 1.