Team Herald
PANJIM: Acting tough on tourist taxi operators refusing to install the mandatory digital fare meters, Transport Department has issued ‘permit cancellation’ order. What this effectively means is that the defaulting four-wheelers are not allowed to operate.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
A total of 3584 taxis are registered under the 0 and 1 series in the State of which 137 owners fitted their taxis with digital fare meters and 513 booked a slot for fitting the meters. The State government had warned it would terminate the permits of 2934 taxis in the State for not fitting the meters within the prescribed deadline of July 25.
“We have already issued permit cancellation order of close to 3,000 tourist taxis, whose series number ended with 0-1. They are not allowed to ply on the roads,” said an officer, adding that the same yardstick will be applied to taxi operators of other registration numbers for non-compliance with the order.
The fitting of digital fare meters with printer, automatic tracking device and emergency system for taxis with series ending with 2-3 concluded on August 18, followed by commencement of the next series. The response from taxi operators is ‘picking up’, according to a senior officer, and those who could not adhere to the deadline have been asked to submit their application to the department. “Their application will be considered based on the directives of the High Court of Bombay at Goa followed by the government’s order,” the officer added.
Taxi operators will have to pay the entire cost of digital meters during installation and the amount will be reimbursed to them by the department in two installments.
The HC in the orders dated May 6, had directed that the fitment of digital fare meters must begin within 15 days and in another order dated July 5 ordered the exercise should conclude in six months. Transport Department had thereafter announced that fitting these would commence from May 20 onwards with a caution to face cancellation of permits for not complying with the order.
