Goa hasn’t banned Uber—it has outnumbered it.

In a viral LinkedIn post, business strategist Lokesh Ahuja dismantles the mystery behind Uber’s absence from Goa—not through policy, but pure electoral arithmetic. “It’s not a ban. It’s math,” he writes.

Goa has about 24,000 local taxi drivers, most of whom are sole earners supporting families. That translates to nearly 100,000 people reliant on the traditional taxi economy. But their role extends beyond just driving—they steer tourists to hotels, restaurants, cruises and shops, effectively acting as commission agents across Goa’s informal tourism network.

Broaden the circle, and Ahuja estimates 200,000 people have livelihoods tied to this structure. Politically, that’s huge. Assuming 75% are voters, this forms a 1.5 lakh-strong electoral bloc—over 10% of Goa’s voting population.

“Lose 1.5 lakh votes. Gain zero,” Ahuja warns, noting that tourists—Uber’s main users—don’t vote. Meanwhile, Goa’s locals already enjoy one of India’s highest vehicle ownership rates: 882 per 1,000 people, four times the national average.

The result? No local demand. No political incentive. And plenty of risk.

But Ahuja hints change may come, gradually. As Goa ages, families shrink, and convenience culture grows, demand for shared transport could rise—perhaps opening a crack for Uber.

Until then, Uber’s not banned in Goa—it’s just statistically unwelcome.