Mizoram govt may issue more taxi permits if Mizotaxi enrollment falls short: Official

Aizawl, Jul 6 (PTI) The Mizoram government may issue additional taxi permits if the number of taxis registered on Mizotaxi application is insufficient to meet public demand, officials said on Monday. Mizotaxi, a new mobile application for public transport services, was launched and became operational in the state capital on July 1. It aims to protect commuters from overcharging and was designed to help passengers using taxis, two-wheeler taxis, and auto rickshaws verify and pay the correct fare rates approved by the state government. Officials of the Transport department said that only 974 taxis, including 681 two-wheeler taxis, had registered on the platform when the deadline ended on June 30. They said that the current number of registrations would not be enough to meet the needs of the public, and that the government would take further steps as necessary. The new system was designed with public convenience in mind, they said. "Fixing a proper fare structure is the government's responsibility. Many states have already implemented similar systems, and we are only following suit," they said. Leaders of Aizawl Two Wheeler Taxi Association (ATTA) said they had already conveyed their concerns regarding the Mizotaxi app to the government and were not willing to use it in its present form. The association has demanded the revision of the fare structure, which has been in use since 2024. It also demanded that the Rs 500 registration fee be withdrawn. A leader of ATTA also argued that collecting payments from passengers and then remitting them to the government would be troublesome. PTI CORR RG