State misses taxi policy deadline, CM urges patience

Panaji: With govt missing its own deadline to release a draft taxi policy, scores of taxi operators staged a protest outside the assembly complex at Porvorim on Wednesday, demanding a direct meeting with chief minister Pramod Sawant.On Aug 22, Sawant and tourism minister Rohan Khaunte assured operators that a fresh policy to replace the Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, would be ready for discussion by Sep 10. The new policy is expected to focus on fare rationalisation, transparency, security, and tourist safety.But with no draft released, taxi operators voiced their anger over yet another delay. “Why is govt lying to us? We have been waiting for so many years. Govt keeps giving us assurances. This is a hide-and-seek game,” said taxi union leader Chetan Kamat. He demanded a written assurance from govt. “We no longer believe verbal assurances. We were called here for a meeting but instead the RTO is troubling us by issuing challans,” he said.With the taxi operators demanding a meeting with Sawant, deputy SP Vishwesh Karpe met them and said the CM was busy and requested them to disperse.Sawant, however, declined to meet the operators in person. “Sep 10 does not mean exactly Sep 10. It can be a bit this side or that side. The draft is still being worked on. Before publishing it, we will call 20–21 representatives of taxi associations and discuss it in detail. They need not give up their business and stand outside the assembly like this. They should trust govt. No decision will be taken without them being taken into confidence,” he told reporters.Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas backed the operators, saying that state govt owed them clarity.