Goa CM Pramod Sawant says no entry for Ola, Uber cab services in state; coastal belt MLAs demand local control, equal taxi fares | Goa News
PANAJI: Following pressure from coastal belt MLAs, chief minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that cab aggregators like Ola and Uber will not be allowed in Goa, even as state govt notified the draft Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, seeking objections and suggestions.Coastal belt MLAs said that state govt should keep the guidelines in abeyance and put a system in place for taxi operators. The MLAs said that govt should establish a system for equal taxi fares.Sawant said that all stakeholders will be taken into confidence before making any decision on cab aggregators. He held a meeting with coastal belt MLAs, including Michael Lobo, Jit Arolkar and taxi operators.“There should be no confusion among the people as it is just a guideline for aggregators. Ola and Uber will not come here. We will take all stakeholders, including hotels, taxis and MLAs, into confidence to put a system in place. We will resolve this issue. All should remain calm,” the CM said.Arolkar said that the purpose of the meeting was to address the fear among taxi operators that cab aggregators like Ola and Uber will come to Goa. “During the meeting, it was decided to have equal taxi fares across the state,” he said.Lobo said, “We have demanded that the guidelines should be kept in abeyance. We want taxi operators’ issues to be addressed systematically. There should be no bargaining while hiring a taxi. Tourists should leave with good memories. Customers should know the exact rate. We want the taxi business to remain with locals only.”Lobo said that locals should run the taxi business and there should be no external control over them. He said that taxi operators should not set fares arbitrarily, but they should be equal. “All taxi operators will agree to this, and there will be another meeting to resolve the issue.”Since govt invited objections and suggestions from the public regarding the taxi aggregator guidelines, taxi operators are meeting MLAs of each constituency and demanding their support to oppose the operation of taxi aggregators in the state.
