“Hadd hai bhaiya, aap khud socho aap kya maang rahe ho!” I still remember my pleading words to a taxi driver on a hot and humid August day in Goa. The Goa trip I had been dreaming of for the longest time, I had never imagined would begin with a fight-for-my-hard-earned-money-note! I was excited about the South Goan beaches, the delicious seafood, the golden sunsets over the Arabian Sea, certainly not about the taxi banter. As soon as I stepped out of the air-conditioned airport, reality and the Sun hit me hard. It was late afternoon and my friends and I were ready just waiting to relax after a long flight. We headed toward our accommodation which was only around 3-4 km away. A ride that should have cost us a modest amount in a local or app-based taxi quickly turned into among the most stressful moments of our trip.The first taxi driver who approached us asked INR 900 for the short ride, which left us all shocked. Unexpected price for such a small distance! We declined, politely. One old cabbie, must be in his 60s, agreed to us but was quickly dissuaded by his fellow drivers. He had no option but to go back and drive away. Then we thought of booking a cab through an app. As if the ‘taxi mafia’ were waiting for this. Within moments, we were left with no choice.
Goa fishing
My friends and I decided to drag our luggages. Soon, I, with two backpacks and a fishing rod, was on the road, under a glaring sun, walking those kilometres without shade. The luggage was heavy and the road rugged. My hands began to bleed. This was unexpected. Clearly not what we thought of. While dragging my luggage, I kept thinking if it was the right decision and whether I want to come back to Goa ever again.However, mine is not the only incident. There have been many such incidents where travellers have been harassed and made to pay inflated prices because of Goa’s taxi situation. The unspoken rules are enforced by local operators on outsiders.An ugly pattern Unfortunately, it’s a pattern. Across social media, there are numerous travellers who keep sharing their Goa taxi experiences similar to ours. It ranges from high taxi pricing to issues when booking app-based rides. One widely circulated account on social media describes app-based drivers facing life threats and travellers being blocked from taking pre-booked vehicles. Now this is outrageous! I did some research and found major ride-hailing services like Ola or Uber have no identity in Goa. Visitors are clearly frustrated because of high prices. The powerful local taxi union is a prime reason why national aggregators are not able to provide their service in the state successfully.There are government-backed services like GoaMiles and Goa Taxi App. But they often struggle in practice. When I spoke to a local guy who used to rent his scooty to travellers, I came to know that app-booked drivers often face harassment from local taxi operators. “Ye log chalne nahi deta madam. Bahut tang karta hai app wale drivers ko. Kitne ko to dhamki deta hai ki marega agar tourist ko legaya to”, said the local man who did not want to reveal his name or address. The case of German travel influencer A few months ago, a famous travel influencer from Germany was also harassed by local drivers. All because he used GoaMiles.Understanding the taxi issue in Goa
Goa/PC: Priya Srivastava
After facing that mental torture, I decided to find the real reason behind the issue. To understand why this problem exists, we need to look beyond Goa’s beautiful beaches and old forts. It is a fact that the economy of Goa is largely dependent on tourism. Every year, lakhs of tourists, both national and international, visit Goa.
View from a fort
By doing so, local taxi drivers and the union want to protect their livelihood. The government too has so far managed with preserving local business interests. But this should not become a reason for harassing tourists. It’s just not right or ethical.When visitors encounter issues like inflated taxi rates and restricted apps, the travel experience stops being about pretty beaches or vibrant nightlife and starts being about irritation, harassment and exploitation too. Such incidents leave a lasting psychological impact on travellers. Walking under the sun with heavy luggage certainly is not an experience I can forget but also I don’t want to remember it. If I think of a solution and if Goa really wants to grow as a tourist-friendly destination, it must ensure that everyday services like taxis and cabs don’t leave visitors harassed, cheated or threatened for god sake!
