App-based taxis must for safety, economic mobility: Goa women

Panaji: The demand for app-based taxi aggregators in Goa is gaining urgency, especially among women professionals and entrepreneurs who link mobility with independence and safety.

Speaking at an awareness programme organised by the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), women said that app-based taxi services are essential if Goa wants to improve women’s participation in economic activity.

“This is something that 50% of Goa’s population was missing,” said Natasha Bhardwaj of the South Asian Institute of Crime and Justice Studies. “We all need a transport system that lets me go out, that’s dependable, accessible, and affordable. And when that happens, I feel free.”

Women across sectors — from performing artists to corporate executives — say existing taxi services are unreliable and often unsafe. “Performing artists and the workforce in the event industry maintain very odd timings, and you need reliable rides back home,” said entrepreneur Ruchika Dhaval. “Let’s stop being tourist-centric.”

Dhaval said local taxi operators must recognise the growing demand from residents. “Things have changed. A lot of women were assimilated into the workforce...you need reliable public transport,” she said.

Many working women said the absence of reliable, transparent taxi options affects their ability to earn and live independently. “I suffered financial losses because I am dependent on my husband for transport,” said another woman entrepreneur.

Others highlighted the fact that women in rural areas find it even harder to commute for work or education.

Asha Vernekar of the GCCI’s women’s wing said, “I want to control my life. I don’t want to depend on my husband and brother.”

For many women, app-based taxis are no longer about convenience but are about autonomy. As calls grow louder, women hope policymakers will recognise transport as a step to empowerment.