PANJIM, DEC 21
Celebrating three decades of its existence, Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) today announced launching of eco-friendly buses for the people in future.
Addressing the 30th anniversary of KTCL at the Kadamba bus stand Panjim, KTCL Managing Director Venancio Furtado said that the corporation is working on plan to induct few Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) eco-friendly buses in its fleet in future.
“These eco-friendly buses will go a long way in helping curb pollution levels and also prove cost-effective on diesel consumption,” Furtado said adding that the corporation would be banking on state government for the financial support.
The MD said that CNG being an environmental friendly gas compared to the diesel and we have decided to introduce CNG buses in the city to curb pollution on our part.
The anniversary celebration, which saw presence of KTCL founder and then Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane and KTCL chairman Deepak Dhawalikar, was however marred with sections of employees protesting demanding regularization in service.
Nearly 60-odd temporary drivers and conductors are on indefinite hunger strike since Monday.
KTCL Chairman during the function announced that the corporation has hiked the daily wages of these workers from Rs 157 to Rs 347, which will be effective from December 1, 2010. “The proposal of regularization is pending with the government and will make sure to come to a conclusion by next month,” Dhawalikar said.
KTCL, which has a fleet of around 397 buses, today inducted five new high-tech buses to its fleet. The buses sponsored under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme were inaugurated today at the hands of Goa State Legislative Assembly speaker, Pratapsingh Rane. It took nearly a year for the corporation to induct these buses.
The Central government last year had sponsored 20 buses, which were lying idle in the private depots due to non availability of funds. Soon after state government released 3.75 crores, the corporation managed to induct 5, while rest 15 will run the state routes by next month.
The dark blue painted buses have an attractive exterior appeal and interiors too have a pleasant feel.
Two openings instead of one will make passengers’ entry and exit much faster and hassle-free. The low floor 42 seat buses have General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), installed in it.
Earlier, in the morning Dhawalikar inaugurated Bus Washing Plant at Porvorim and the corporation is also planning to have similar plan in Panjim, Margao and Vasco to reduce the time in washing buses.
Addressing the gathering, Dhawalikar said that corporation through its bus service will try to reach out each and every village connecting them to the nearest city.
“Though we are going under sever loss, with governmental support we will try to provide better infrastructure to our commuters,” he said.
Dignitaries like KTCL director Anupam Kishore, transport director Arun Desai, Goa State Pollution Control Board chairman Simon D’Souza and Swami Brhameshanand, were also present during the function.
