PERNEM: Many of the facilities at the Pernem bus stand are yet to be thrown open to the public despite the project’s inauguration four years behind schedule.
Initially, the project was slated for inauguration in 2015. However, since the bus stand was not ready till then, it was opened in 2018 — almost four years behind schedule.
Presently, other than the bus service, all the other facilities such as parking for the four and two-wheelers, shops and cafeteria are yet to be opened for the public.
Sources from Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GSIDC) informed that the project is already handed over to Transport Department. However, the Transport Department has not handover the bus stand project to Kadamba Transport Corporation yet.
Facilities such as underground parking for 400 two-wheelers and 50 four-wheelers, opening of shops and cafeterias and shifting of offices to this building is pending from past one-and-half year.
Since traffic congestion and smooth movement of traffic is a major issue in Pernem town, opening of parking space here was need of the hour.
Sources from Transport Department claimed that occupancy certificate for the bus stand and shops on the ground floor are already issued. However, the occupancy certificate for the upper floor which consists of commercial offices is still not issued due to non-payment of fees which the Transport Department has to pay to TCP and Municipality.
This was the most awaiting project for the people of Pernem since Pernem does not have a separate bus stand to accommodate buses as well as housing commercial shops and government offices in the same place.
Opening of the parking facility at this building was a need of the hour since the Pernem town roads face traffic congestion problem on daily basis. This problem turns more chaotic on the weekly market day when people park their vehicles on the roadside and sometimes even on the road.
When contacted Deputy Director of Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) Deepak Naik, said,” This project is still not completed. Without taking KTC into confidence the project work was undertaken and now since the project is not completely ready we cannot undertake the project because once the project is taken over by KTC people will blame KTC for the incomplete work. Most importantly, the exit point of the bus stand has to be corrected. At present there is only single entry and exit point.”
