Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho thundered on the Floor of the Legislative Assembly over the long-standing taxi issue and stated that the government had lost revenue of around Rs 500 crore in the past five years due to the unaccountability of the 18,000 taxis in the State. He batted for GoaMiles saying that the aggregator has contributed Rs 10 crore to the treasury. He also reiterated that traditional taxis have been given the option to join GoaMiles, choose an app that is convenient to them, or develop one that accommodates their interests.
Was Godinho expressing his anger or his helplessness? For, if that figure of tax revenue loss is true, it also reflects a failure of the Transport Department to set right a wrong. A minister can’t express helplessness. The issue came to the forefront yet again when Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar asked the transport minister to withdraw the GoaMiles counter at the Dabolim Airport and Godinho maintained that the aggregator is here to stay.
The taxi tangle has had a roller-coaster ride and has thrown serious challenges to the government of the day. Godinho, despite being firm in his approach has failed to bring in a semblance of an order. The traditional taxis rule the roost given the brute majority on the roads coupled with the political lobbies that support them. The fact that taxis have managed to overcome decisions like speed governors and meters, let alone the App, is testimony to their clout.
Given the helplessness it finds itself in, the government must at least rethink the public transport system which is in a crippled state. Godinho mentioned that other states have Ola, Uber and multiple taxi apps at the disposal of people each competing within themselves. What the Transport Department must understand is that tourist destinations, especially foreign countries, have robust public transport systems too, with luxury and economy buses seamlessly connecting to various cities and destinations. A tourist who alights from the aircraft has choices — from taxis to buses.
A crippled or non-existent bus system results in over-dependence on taxis and the monopoly or taxi domination stems from the reality that the common man doesn’t have choices. Given the scale of taxi fares, a common citizen would feel the pinch while taking a cab and paying a fare which equals to his flight ticket, if not more.
That being said, there has to be a conscious effort to accommodate the few traditional businesses like taxis that have survived so far. The taxi business may be gradually slipping from the grip of Goans, but that can’t be the reason to isolate them. The Transport Department must engage traditional taxi owners, educate them on the new concepts of business and eliminate the fear of insecurity that leads them to think of losses in a new ecosystem. Change may be a constant in a developing State like Goa, but one cannot ignore those stakeholders who have been at the forefront when times were bad.
Godinho’s anger is justified because he is not able to drive the change that people look forward to. But while conveying a message that traditional taxi owners have been evading tax, the rift is only widening. The issue has to be resolved with complete engagement with taxis, and with no strings attached.
