Team Herald
PANJIM: Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Wednesday said the taxi fares in the State will be hiked in view of the rise in fuel prices and the process of fitting digital meters for taxi will start within a fortnight.
Godinho told reporters that the taxi fares were last revised in 2014 and that the State Transport Authority (STA) will meet soon to revise the fares in the State. He said that within a week, the process of fitting digital meters for taxis will start and for the first six months the government will bear the cost of fitting these meters. The government has made a provision of Rs 34 crore for fitment of digital meters to about 20,000 taxis.
Stating that the government will streamline the entire process of operating taxis at the Dabolim airport, Godinho said he has already given instruction to the Tourism Department to hand over the counter allotted to GoaMiles to the Transport Department.
The Minister said he held a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Secretary (Transport), Secretary (Tourism) and took measures to redress the problems faced by the taxi operators at the airport. Parking issue of the taxi operators will also be resolved, he said.
Reacting to the threat by taxi operators to go on strike from Thursday, the Minister warned that the government will deal sternly. “Strike will not help anybody. They cannot dictate to us. Taxi operators have to be more responsible because they are real ambassadors of tourism industry,” he said.
Godinho said that 15-year domicile clause will be made mandatory for taxi drivers applying for badge.
Stating that there are nearly 20,000 taxis registered in the State, the Minister said the government is conducting taxis audit in the State and the Transport Department has submitted preliminary report and the government will take measures after a detailed report is submitted.
The Minister said that the government will hire all private buses operating on Ponda-Panjim and Canacona-Margao route to streamline the public transport system.
The private bus owners unions have already in-principle agreed to this proposal and now we are planning to actually implement it”, he said adding that the private bus owners will be paid rent as per the distance covered. This will stop manipulations happening between private buses and Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) buses.
To a question, Godinho said there is no request from the bus operators to revise bus fares in the State.
The Minister suggested introduction of shuttle buses and electric buses in the capital city to reduce parking problems due to haphazard parking of vehicles by employees and those visiting casinos.
