Rental bikes, cars causing accidents, killing taxi biz, scrap them: Goa minister Atanasio Monserrate

Panaji: Goa’s taxi owners and union leaders gathered in large numbers outside the Junta House to protest against the draft Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines, 2025. Hundreds of them queued up to submit their objections against the guidelines, which they see as favouring app-based taxi firms such as Ola, Uber and Rapido.

While the taxi operators tried to put pressure on the transport department, ministers and local MLAs, revenue minister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate refused to buy into their argument. “The rent-a-car and rent-a-bike operators are creating a nuisance. Today, all sorts of accidents are taking place, and people are dying because of rent-a-bike and rent-a-car. No one seems to be talking about it,” said Monserrate. “Let us stop rental bikes and cars totally.”

App-based taxi services and cab aggregators will help streamline the taxi business, but the best solution would be to halt all rental vehicle services, which are “killing the taxi business” for local Goans, he said after meeting taxi owners from Panaji, Taleigao and St Cruz.

“All parking spaces in Panaji have been occupied by rent-a-cab operators. It is the failure of the transport department. The director should take care of this first. I challenge the transport department to look into this," said Monserrate.

Taxi operators said that their biggest concern about the aggregator policy is that it will eat into their business and reduce their income. The taxi operators also said that the app or an aggregator cannot guarantee customers in far-flung areas such as Sanguem and Bicholim.

Given the number of taxi operators lined up to submit their objections, the transport department set up a dedicated counter on the footpath outside the building to accept the inputs and suggestions. “We have set a target to submit 6,000 to 8,000 representations. Our brothers will continue to submit their suggestions over the next two days,” said Chetan Kamat, a taxi operator.

Meanwhile, Monserrate urged the taxi operators to keep “an open mind” and try out the taxi aggregators before rejecting the govt’s proposals. “Their apprehension is that they will not get business. Let the department tell them about the pros and cons,” he said.