Goa Lokayukta declines to hear plea against cab aggregator

In a relief to app-based cab aggregator Goa Miles, the state's Lokayukta has declined to hear a complaint against it filed by a social activist. The complaint, filed by social activist Sudip Tamankar before the anti-corruption ombudsman, challenged the entire process undertaken to grant the licence to Goa Miles to operate as an app-based cab company.

The company, which is facing opposition from the traditional tourist taxis, is affiliated to state-run Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC). Tamankar, in his complaint, has claimed there were "several flaws" in giving license to the company to run its services in Goa.

In an order on Wednesday, the Lokayukta said it has no power to hear the complaint filed by Tamankar and suggested him to move the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court here. Tamankar, who also heads the All Goa Bus Owners Association, said he would now move the High Court with his plea.

In his 127-page complaint filed before the Lokayukta, Tamankar has said the government framed guidelines for app-based cab aggregators on March 13, 2018, and granted approval to Goa Miles on June 7, 2019. However, the app-based taxi service had started operations from August 2018, much before it was granted approval by the state government, the activist claimed.

Earlier this month, the tourist taxi operators had resorted to a seven-day-long strike demanding that Goa Miles be scrapped. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, however, had refused to accept their demand and instead asked the tourist taxi operators to come up with their own app.

Goa Miles is the states first and only app-based taxi service till now.