Goa CM Pramod Sawant 'gifts' fare meters to cabbies on Ganesh Chaturthi; taxi lobby rejects offer

In a bid to end the longstanding stalemate between Goa's cabbies and the state government, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday announced a "Ganesh Chaturthi gift" to the state's taxi operators, by announcing free installation of fare meters.

Protesting taxi operators have however rejected the "gift", saying the CM should instead first scrap the app-only cab aggregator service GoaMiles, before initiating any dialogue with the taxi lobby.

Earlier on Thursday, the state cabinet formally approved a proposal, which would enable nearly 18,000 registered tourists taxis in the state to avail of the free fare meter installation scheme.

"The taxi owners will not have to pay for installation of meters. The government is giving it to them free of cost. The cabinet has cleared the proposal," the Chief Minister told reporters after the cabinet meeting. Sawant said that the decision was taken as a mark of goodwill on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, the state's most popular Hindu festival.

Goa's taxi operators who have been agitating against the government's implementation of a High Court directive to ensure functional fare meters in the state's cabs, have however rejected Sawant's festive gift.

"The Ganesh Chaturthi gift, which you claim to have announced should be in the form of scrapping of GoaMiles. Then we will sit across the table and resolve this issue," Chetan Kamat spokeperson for the All Goa Taxi Operators Union said.

GoaMiles, is an app-based taxi aggregator service which works under the aegis of the state government's Goa Tourism Development Corporation.

"Let us sit across the table... Get the transport authorities, Transport Minister and explain the issue transparently and hear our woes related to the fare meters. The meters are faulty and have potential to damage the car," Kamat also said. While there are around 18,000 licenced tourist taxis in the state, the cost and annual fee of each meter which has been identified by the state government is Rs. 11,000 plus.

Goa’s taxi operators, who run taxi services without functioning fare meters, have also been repeatedly accused of fleecing and behaving rudely with customers, primarily tourists, forcing the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, a top body of industry stakeholders, to complain to the government and knock on the doors of the High Court, about the poor services and standards prevalent in the taxi sector.

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