With yet another viral video surfacing on print and social media of a female tourist dragging her luggage for nearly a kilometre from a starred resort in Varca, the issue of Goa’s taxis has once again come into sharp focus. The visitor’s claim that her app-booked cab was denied entry due to pressure from local taxi operators is deeply troubling.The fact that Goa Miles is being obstructed by what many now refer to as a “taxi mafia” is both alarming and unacceptable. Tourists and locals alike deserve safe, reliable, and transparent transport options, not coercion and intimidation. While Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho speaks of digitalisation as the future of transport, Goa remains a laggard in adopting technology. Goa Miles, despite being the only sanctioned hail-a-cab app, is being throttled by those who fear competition. The government must take action to ensure safe passage for app-based taxis to all public and private locations. It must penalize obstruction and intimidation by rogue operators, expand and promote digital transport platforms with real-time grievance redressal, and launch awareness campaigns to educate both tourists and locals about their rights.
