Services charges to be lowered to reduce taxi fare: Godinho

Panaji: Transport minister Mauvin Godinho said on Tuesday that service charges applicable to commercial taxis are being reduced to see that the fare comes down.
“To bring down the taxi fare, we have asked that the service charge, which is at Rs 484, be reduced. When service charges are high, the CGST and SGST also proportionately go up. We have asked Goa Electronics Ltd (GEL) to reduce service charges so that customers have to pay less fare,” Godinho told reporters at a meeting chaired by chief minister Pramod Sawant.
The meeting was held to discuss the functioning of the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, transportation issues, and other linked problems.
Tourist taxi operations are under the scanner since the Goa taxi app-linked vehicle billed a customer Rs 4,148 for a ride from Mopa to Benaulim. Godinho said that the customer was not overcharged and billed as per the government notified rate.
“The customer had hired a high-end car and he was billed as per the notified government rate. There is a difference between the fare of an ordinary taxi and that of a high-end car,” Godinho said.
While he admitted that the government rate was high, he said that GoaMiles rates were comparatively low. The taxi fare for a similar route would have been Rs 2,500 if the customer chose a GoaMiles vehicle.
“People have a choice between GoaMiles and the Goa taxi app,” he said.
Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte, who was also present for the meeting, said that they suggested to the CM that a weekly review meeting be held, to also discuss any other issue that may need immediate attention.
“A rate chart will also be displayed at the airport,” Khaunte said.
However, he said that those people who are opposed to the new initiative of the government will continue to be trouble makers. “We want all stakeholders to discuss with the government if there are any problems,” he said.
Khaunte said that GoaMiles is a private entity and in a competitive business, and hence its rates are lower than the recently-launched Goa Taxi app of the transport department.
“The options are available for customers. Also, coaches are available for travellers,” said Khaunte.