With the June 19 deadline for public feedback on Goa’s draft Transport Aggregator Guidelines 2025 now past, the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has pushed back against growing opposition to the proposal. The association argues that far from harming local taxi drivers, the guidelines are essential to protecting them from future exploitation by large ride-hailing companies likely to enter Goa’s market.
Speaking toO Heraldo, TTAG President Jack Sukhija said the framework offers drivers a transparent, fair system with fixed per-kilometre rates and minimum assured earnings—benefits that will safeguard livelihoods as aggregators expand into Goa.
“There is a need for these guidelines to protect the interests of taxi drivers of Goa. It provides a more than fair and transparent rate that they would earn per km,” Sukhija said. He warned that large aggregators often lure drivers with attractive initial schemes, only to later undercut them for profit. “This will protect them from exploitation when such companies eventually enter Goa,” he added.
Echoing this view, TTAG North Goa Vice-President Aakash Madgavkar said the government was taking a proactive step by laying down rules before big aggregators establish a foothold. “At some stage, these aggregators, after following due process and perhaps legal means, will enter Goa as it is a big market. Without any guidelines in place, the interests of our Goan taxi drivers will not be protected,” he noted.
According to TTAG, the state-run Goa Miles service is already proof that app-based models can work in Goa, offering affordable, transparent pricing and ease of booking. However, they estimate that only about 26% of the state’s taxis are on the platform, making availability inconsistent. “Unfortunately, Goa Miles has only around 26% of the taxis in Goa, so availability is an issue and customers cannot always rely on it,” the association said.
The association criticised local taxi unions for their continued resistance to technology and app-based services. “Taxi driver unions have just been opposing apps blindly, when what they need to do is provide constructive suggestions on how to improve a system that is failing tourists and locals daily,” Sukhija said. He pointed out that complaints about overcharging and misbehaviour are frequent, tarnishing Goa’s image as a tourist destination.
Despite repeated government appeals over the years for drivers to launch their own apps, there has been little initiative. “The stance has been one of ‘we do not want apps,’” Sukhija said. “In every sector, there is technology and apps. Almost everyone has a smartphone. It’s essential for taxi drivers to embrace technology and progress with the times.”
TTAG also highlighted the growing internal friction among drivers themselves. Local drivers operating through Goa Miles are reportedly being harassed by others for using app-based services, with some denied access to hotel premises. “They inconvenience and force guests at those hotels to walk to the entrance to avail of their taxi booked on the app,” the association said.
A generational divide is evident within the taxi community, TTAG noted. Younger drivers are open to digital platforms but often face pressure from unions to stay off apps, being told they would have to leave the union if they joined one. “Apps are part of daily life—for groceries, food, shopping, bus, train, and plane tickets. Why not taxis?” a TTAG official asked.
Sukhija urged taxi drivers to see the guidelines not as a threat but as a safeguard. “Our suggestion to the taxi drivers, in their best interests, is to help improve these proposed guidelines rather than oppose everything. These guidelines will help protect them if and when big aggregators enter Goa.”
The association has recommended that the government implement the guidelines without further delay, stating they are “fair and open to minor adjustments” based on stakeholder feedback. Successful implementation, they believe, would mark a shift toward transparency, better service, and alignment with national goals.