Panaji: Until a few years ago, Rebekah Lobo was a college student making a three-hour commute involving five bus changes each way from her home in Rivona to Don Bosco College in Panaji. That ordeal inspired her and her now-techie husband to develop the Mhaje App, a digital platform for Goa’s motorcycle taxi pilots, launched on Monday.Even when opting for a pilot ride, Lobo had to first travel to a bus stand to find one. Now a mother of a toddler, she said those daily struggles sparked the idea for the app.“We thought about creating an app that makes it easier for people to connect with pilots remotely and for pilots to receive bookings wherever they are, instead of waiting at bus stands,” she told TOI.Lobo said she spent about a year researching the sector, meeting pilots individually and explaining how the digital platform would work before rolling it out.“Some pilots initially expressed concerns about return trips, fearing they might have to travel back without passengers after completing rides. The app has been designed to match riders with nearby bookings at their destination,” she said.She added that the company would support pilots lacking the required technology by providing smartphones and would also assist those interested in replacing their motorcycles with electric two-wheelers.The Goa Motor Cycle Taxi Rider’s Association and GracefulGoa SuperApp Private Limited launched the Mhaje App on Monday in the presence of chief minister Pramod Sawant, transport minister Mauvin Godinho and officials of the directorate of transport.While many pilots were eager to enrol on the platform, others voiced concerns about shifting to a digital system.“Pilots of Goa are its tourist ambassadors,” said Sawant. “Joining the platform would be entirely voluntary and those who do not wish to use the app can continue operating from their existing taxi stands. There will be efforts by miscreants to confuse other pilots and protest against the app. It has become a habit for some people to hold politically motivated protests.”Sawant also issued a strong warning against the illegal use of private two-wheelers as bike taxis, saying they will not be permitted to ferry passengers for hire. He directed police to take strict action and seize such vehicles.“A mechanism will be put in place for motorcycle pilots to complain against such private vehicle operators,” Sawant said.Godinho thanked the motorcycle taxi pilots for embracing technology and adopting the digital platform. “The taxi operators should learn from their example of how the pilots came forward with this app. Their earnings will increase and there will be last-mile connectivity,” Godinho told TOI.President of the Goa Motor Cycle Taxi Rider’s Association, Suresh Thakur, said, “Our priority is to give the best service to people and ensure that the pilot community survives and thrives. We therefore have to embrace technology.”Lobo said the platform would also benefit tourists by enabling them to book licensed motorcycle taxis digitally. “Through the app, users will be able to view fares before confirming a booking, reducing disputes over pricing. Foreign visitors will be able to pay in their own currency, with settlements processed in Indian rupees for the drivers. In addition, the platform will allow customers to hire a pilot on an hourly basis, enabling tourists or small groups to retain a rider for several hours while sightseeing,” she said.
