Tired of taxis in Goa? Minister announces big step against operators

Amid growing criticism of Goa’s taxi services, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday stressed the need to rein in errant taxi operators to ensure the survival of the state’s tourism sector. Khaunte, who recently returned from the World Tourism Mart, said the department is repeatedly confronted with questions about the so-called “taxi mafia.”

“Everywhere we go, only one question is asked, ‘Is the taxi issue under control?’ and I think it needs to come under control,” said Khaunte. “Dadagiri will not work.”
On November 7, German tourist Alexander Welder and his girlfriend were allegedly followed and stopped from boarding a GoaMiles cab at Patnem.


Earlier, on October 2, Mumbai-based visual designer Shreya Agarwal said she was forced to haul her luggage for nearly a kilometre at Varca after local taxi drivers blocked access to her GoaMiles cab. In September, a woman from Ahmedabad also reported being threatened by local drivers at Betalbatim for booking an app-based taxi.

With the state facing flak, Khaunte has conveyed to chief minister Pramod Sawant that the taxi “troublemakers” need to get the “right treatment” if Goa’s reputation is to be salvaged. “There are two troublemakers who are destroying our sensible, sensitive, and good name of Goan taxi operators. If these two do not get the right treatment, then the ripple effect will come on the taxi operators. I would not call them mafia, but there are some troublemakers in the taxi sector, and these troublemakers need to be handled,” said Khaunte.

Indirectly blaming coastal MLAs for protecting taxi operators, Khaunte said that the “mindset of vote bank politics” has to be shunned. “We are bringing tourism to Goa, and someone will destroy tourism; this will not be tolerated. Then someone will point fingers and ask where the tourists are. If we kill the hen, then where will the eggs come from,” said Khaunte.

Reiterating the need for “corrections,” Khaunte said, “This issue needs to be resolved because things are escalating. Tourists are being dragged out…what world are we in?”