PANJIM: The long-pending controversy surrounding the non-implementation of digital fare meters for tourist taxis has finally come to an end with the State government appointing two agencies for the installation of the meters. M/s Rosemerta Autotech Pvt Ltd and M/s Securinex have been selected to implement the digital meters with GPS in passenger taxis.
“Rosemerta was the lowest bidder (followed by Securinex). The government finalised two lowest bidders to ensure the taxi operators do not face any inconvenience over the procurement and installation of digital meters. In the first six months, Rosemerta will have the rights to implement the project. Securinex will join thereafter,” said a senior officer from the Transport Department.
The Transport Department has written to the Goa Electronics Limited to complete the empanelment of the two qualified bidders and issue them work orders, etc, as well as enter into an agreement as per the terms and conditions of the Request for Proposal. “The implementation will be at the earliest,” the officer added.
The development comes based on a petition filed by the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other stakeholders before the High Court of Bombay at Goa in February 2017, alleging that government was illegally and unconstitutionally keeping in abeyance implementation of the decision for implementing the digital meters. The petitioners had sought directions for its immediate enforcement.
The government in November 2018 invited bids for installation of the digital meters in taxis after the court pulled up the Transport Department for a ‘needless delay.’ The State then informed the High Court that it had to scrap the entire earlier process on fitting of digital meters due to a change in specification for Automotive Tracking Device and that the officers were made aware of the new standard during a meeting with the International Centre for Automative Technology (ICAT) and the Goa Electronics Limited held on August 20, 2018.
In June 2015, the Transport Department had issued a notification making it mandatory for the 15,000-odd tourist taxis in Goa to install GPS-enabled digital meters, but it was subsequently kept on hold following an agitation by some taxi operators. It had also incorporated a provision of granting 50 per cent subsidy or Rs 5,000 towards its purchase.
