PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa asked the State Government to issue an order mandating compulsory digital taxi metres by Wednesday as the issue has been "pending for some time and a policy decision is already taken."
In an order issued after briefly hearing a petition filed by the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa which has sought the implementation of digital taxi metres, the High Court rejected the government's request that it will issue the notification by the end of the month, but instead allowed to set out a time frame in its notification.
"What we are shown are the internal notings from the file. Since the issue is pending for some time and policy decision is already taken, we expect that the formal order can now be passed for which longer time is not required. All it requires is an order, since now no impediments remain. The order can indicate that the time schedule will be fixed subsequently," the High Court noted in its order.
Earlier, the State advocate general told the High Court that the Government has taken a policy decision regarding installation of the digital meters on the taxis in the State of Goa.
He stated that some time will be required for working out the modalities, but the decision will be brought into force by the end of November 2017.
The case will now be taken up on Wednesday when the government is expected to place before the court its final notification.
Earlier on October 27, Chief Minister Manohar heard out the group "Citizens for Change" which has been pursuing an online as well as an on the ground campaign to allow for app-based taxis in Goa to control the iron grip of the local tourist taxis in the State and promised to bring them on board.
The Chief Minister is believed to have promised them a ‘taxi system' while also promising stern action against errant taxi drivers should they get violent or play truant.
The online campaign to allow for app based taxis in Goa has garnered more than 10,000 online signatures both from locals as well as tourists bringing to light the scale of the problem.
The taxi operators have, however, consistently opposed any moves to regulate the industry defending their actions on grounds that surge pricing is not limited to their industry and other industries too like hotels should be allowed a fixed rate.
