Digital Goa, June 2- Hundreds of taxi operators made a beeline to the Transport Department office at Junta House in Panaji today, submitting their objections and suggestions to the draft Goa Transport Aggregator Guidelines 2025. The guidelines, which were notified by the government on May 20, 2025, propose a regulatory framework to formally allow app-based ride-hailing services to operate in the state. Stakeholders have been given a 30-day window to submit their feedback. In anticipation of large crowds, Junta House and the surrounding area were turned into a heavily guarded fortress with a significant police presence. The North Goa District Magistrate imposed prohibitory orders in Panaji for the day, anticipating the scale of the gathering. Transport Department had set up a special desk outside Junta House to receive objections and suggestions from taxi owners across Goa. The draft guidelines propose that aggregators will be allowed to offer app-based taxi services using vehicles registered in Goa or possessing valid permits issued by the state. The move has been welcomed by major mobility players but has sparked widespread concern among local taxi operators, who fear the changes could disrupt their traditional operations.
