Goa premium cab tariff higher than in other states

Panaji: A family arriving at Manohar International Airport (Mopa) will think twice before booking a cab to Goa’s idyllic Palolem beach. The family will have to fork out a cool Rs 5,000 for the cab ride for the 109km trip, a clear indication that Goa’s taxi fares are giving flight fares a run for their money.
For the first time even taxi operators and drivers have said that the official taxi fare, which is based on the government’s notified rate, is too high. The transport department has notified fares based on the engine size and the type of vehicle, with the highest fare of Rs 49 per km being charged for SUVs with more than 1,500cc.
Eyebrows were raised a few days earlier when a passenger ended up paying Rs 4,148 for a trip from Mopa to a starred hotel in Benaulim. Flyers and locals were quick to criticise the government for imposing such steep fares. The base fare for the trip was Rs 3,227 on which Rs 920 was imposed as tax.
“Mopa International Airport will become a white elephant for Goa if taxi fares are not regulated,” frequent flyer and Pune resident Brigadier (retd) Sunil Agarwal said about the Rs 4,148 taxi bill.
To put the angst in perspective, a Bengaluru-Goa flight costs Rs 2,500 per person, while one can fly from Mumbai-Goa for Rs 2,300. A non-stop Delhi-Goa flight costs just over Rs 5,094.
Director of transport Rajan Satardekar defended the high tariffs, pointing out that the passenger who booked the cab to Benaulim chose to travel in an eight-seater car costing Rs 49 per km — which is why the rate was high.
“The rate varies based on the type of vehicle that the customer opted for. He was not overcharged,” Satardekar said.
Despite the smallest car in the hierarchy costing a lesser fare, its pricing at 29 km per hour is conventionally higher than most taxi vehicles of similar size in other states.
If one takes a look at the taxi fares for premium cabs on Ola and Uber, Goa’s taxi fares have zoomed past Mumbai and Bengaluru. In Mumbai, a 112 km ride originating from Cuffe Parade on Ola costs Rs 4,012 in the highest category car. One can travel in a ‘Prime SUV’ from Attibele in Bengaluru to Nelamangala (two opposite ends of the metro) for Rs 2,195 on Ola.
Turning the tables on the government, which has often called taxi operators a ‘mafia’, the Goa Association of Tourist Taxi Owners president Chetan Kamat said that the government has failed to introduce affordable and convenient taxi services.
“This issue will not be solved till the government takes the taxi operators into confidence. This app is not feasible and this bill is not a mistake. The gazette rate is higher than the rate that our taxi drivers charge. It should have been a maximum fare of Rs 2,400 to Rs 2,700 for a trip to Benaulim,” Kamat told TOI.
“Just took a cab from Morjim to Dabolim on Sunday morning for Rs 2,000 one way. Flight ticket was similarly priced,” said Darshana. “An average fare for a 40 minutes ride in a black and yellow cab in Mumbai is about Rs 500. The problem is people don’t have a choice in Goa as app-based cabs are unavailable.”
On Sunday, tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said that the government would sit on Tuesday to discuss the teething problems that have cropped up in the functioning of the Mopa airport, with the taxi and bus fares also up for discussion.
(With inputs from Nida Sayed)