SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2024
CITIZEN SRIDHAR D IYER Caranzalem
Some months back a prototype of a “smart bus shelter” was erected at Kala Academy (KA), showing the proposed coloured-coded route map of e-buses, CCTV cameras and ticket vending machines. The bus services were to commence from January 19, but to date, nothing has transpired.
Several shelters (Picture 1) have been installed between Panaji city and Dona Paula, including along the Dr Jack Sequeira Road. These shelters do not have the other paraphernalia like that at KA.
The commonality in all these shelters is that all the sides are open and offer no protection, a roof over which advertising boards would find a place and two individual, thick, rounded steel pipes that are supposed to be ‘seats’! (inset). Did the smart city developers forget as to how the weary passengers, senior citizens, pregnant women and physically challenged persons, would be able to sit on these steel pipes?
If the ‘seats’ are as per the contract then it is a pity that no one gave serious thought during the planning stage. Or, is the government mum and taken for a ride?
Either way, it is a loss for the citizens and a waste of public money.
