Goa's aggregator cab guidelines will not bring in firms like Ola, Uber: CM to local taxi operators

Panaji: Goa's draft guidelines for cab aggregators will not open doors for companies like Ola and Uber, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday.

BJP MLAs Michael Lobo from Calangute and Jit Arolkar from Mandrem met him in the presence of taxi operators to discuss concerns of the trade with regards to the Goa Transport Aggregators Guidelines 2025 issued on May 20. The last date to give suggestions and raise objections is June 30.

"Taxi operators need not be in any sort of confusion. They have apprehensions that the guidelines will open doors for the aggregators like Ola and Uber which are operating outside Goa. The guidelines do not aim to open flood gates for national cab aggregators like Ola and Uber," Sawant told reporters after the meeting.

Goa currently has two local aggregators - Goa Miles and Goa Taxi, which provide app-based service to customers.

The taxi operators in Goa want the state government to take them into confidence before finalising the guidelines as they believe big firms from outside the state may start aggregator cab businesses here, Arolkar said.

Lobo, meanwhile, said taxi operators want the government to keep the guidelines in abeyance.

"The issue was discussed with the chief minister who has assured that a meeting of MLAs representing constituencies in the coastal belt and all other stakeholders will be called before taking a final decision on the guidelines," Lobo said.