Panaji: Minister of Science and Technology Michael Lobo on Tuesday urged the Head of the Pramod Sawant Minister to provide free digital meters for taxi operators.
Lobo said that the minister’s chairman had directed the authorities to post files in this matter.
He also said that CM had directed the transportation department to not attract taxi permits from those who had not put on a meter.
Lobo said that CM convinced him to make a decision in the next two days.
Calangute Mla said that once a taxi operator fixed the meter, the CABS aggregator would not be allowed to pick up customers from the hotel.
Taxi operators meet lobo after they receive notifications from the Department of Transportation that their permission has been withdrawn due to non-compliance with digital meters.
Lobo met Sawant and explained that the taxi operator faced the problem because of Covid and it was impossible for them to pay Rs 11,500 to repair the meter.
“We have to solve the problem of fixing the taxi meter, and therefore free meters must be given to them,” he said.
He also remembered that the head of Minister Manohar Parragar promised to provide free taxi meters.
Referring to the increase in gasoline and diesel costs, Lobo said that taxi operators must be given a revised tariff graph and this must be done after bringing the owner of North and South Cave taxis to be confident.
Lobo said that representation would be given to the Minister of Transportation Mauvin Godinho for this issue.
When asked if the taxi operator opposed fixing the meter, he said that it was HC’s decision and that he supported the taxi operator and wanted to solve the problem.
Declaring the number of highest taxi operators is in its constituency, Lobo tries to find out whether they have to pay loan installments or digital taxi meters.