Goa notifies draft guidelines for taxi aggregators, upsets cab drivers

Taxi operators said the guidelines are very loosely defined and they apprehend that people from across the country will come to Goa and start operating taxis

PANAJI: The Goa government has released the draft guidelines that would enable app-based taxi aggregators to extend their services in the state, upsetting the state’s taxi unions.

Visitors at the Palolem beach in South Goa on Monday (PTI File)

The government has asked stakeholders to send their comments on the guidelines by June 30. The draft guidelines were notified on May 20.

“The government’s guidelines are very loosely defined and prompt a fear that people from across the country will come here and start operating taxis,” said Sunil Naik, the president of the north and south Goa Taxi Owners Association.

The unions say the draft guidelines was an attempt to corporatise the taxi sector.

“These guidelines are not acceptable to us and threaten our livelihood,” he said. “We are self-made people who have grown up by building our own businesses. We are not about to give that all up and begin working under someone or a company,” Naik added.

The state government has said the guidelines seek to protect the interests of the state’s taxi owners and drivers. The draft guidelines provide the driver should get at least the fare prescribed by the government for each journey. Also, aggregators will have to pay the cab driver’s fare within 72 hours of the trip. In case of any delay, the aggregator will have to pay a penalty of 25%.

Aggregators will also have to execute a valid enforceable contract with the driver. It will not prevent or disincentivise the driver from signing such contractors with more than one aggregators, and will have to give drivers health insurance cover for at least ₹10 lakh with 2025-26 as base year and an increment of 5% each year. In case of female drivers, the aggregator will have to ensure that health insurance is extended to the parents and children of the female driver.

The guidelines also mandate additional incentives including reimbursement of the vehicle’s insurance or ₹30,000, whichever is lower, if a vehicle driven by a female driver does more than 500 trips in a year.

The state transport department said the guidelines were being introduced to tackle the problems of poor service, high fares and failure to adhere to regulated meters, following complaints from tourists about taxis overcharging tourists.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa welcomed the guidelines, saying they take care of all stakeholders’ interests -- tourists, locals, the drivers and the operators.

Cab aggregator Rapido also has welcomed the guidelines. The company said that the guidelines are a “progressive move toward building a transparent, safe, and inclusive mobility ecosystem.”

“We believe this policy marks a significant step toward digitising mobility and empowering local micro-entrepreneurs,” said Pavan Guntupalli, co-founder of Rapido, adding that it will launch operations in the state once it gets the statutory licence and the regulations are in place.