Operators told not to ‘waste time’ on protest; assured of sharing policy draft with reps
PANAJI
As taxi operators staged a protest outside the Legislative Assembly complex against the proposed new taxi policy, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant urged them not to “waste time” and reiterated that the government would finalise the policy only after consultations.
“They should trust the government and not waste time. I have already told them they will be taken into confidence 100 per cent before we finalise the draft. They need not stand outside the Assembly like this protesting,” Sawant told reporters, as protesters were denied a meeting with him owing to his packed schedule.
The Chief Minister added that 20-21 representatives of taxi associations would be shown the draft in detail before its release. He also clarified that the September 10 deadline was tentative and that the draft may take a few more days to complete.
On August 22, the government had announced that the controversial draft Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025 would be scrapped in favour of a State Taxi Policy. Sawant had assured that the new framework would supersede the aggregator guidelines, stressing that its objective was to ensure transparency, safety, and fair pricing while protecting traditional taxi services.
In that meeting attended by Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and other officials, besides the stakeholders, taxi operators were asked to form a 10-member committee to submit their grievances, which would be factored into the new draft.
Earlier on Wednesday, scores of taxi operators gathered outside the Assembly demanding a written assurance from the government, and voicing dissatisfaction over the delay. They insisted on a direct meeting with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to raise their concerns.
