MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2024
Team Herald
PONDA: Consumer activist Roland Martins submitted a detailed memorandum to the Additional Collector-III at the Government Complex Building in Ponda, addressing several critical deficiencies at the recently revamped KTC Bus Stand. The memorandum, accompanied by photographs, stressed the urgent need for essential facilities and improvements to better serve the passengers.
“The KTC Bus Stand lacks functional toilet facilities, which are crucial for senior citizens, women, children, and persons with disabilities,” said Martins in his memo, pointing out that there is no permanent toilet, nor is there a temporary porta-potties available for passengers.
The bus stand needs bus bay sign boards indicating bus routes, ensuring that passengers are aware of the departure and arrival points for specific destinations. “Currently, the Ponda bus stand does not have any bus bay boards displaying routes or destinations. There should also be a signboard displaying bus routes and their departure and arrival timings,” added Martins, convenor of Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN).
The memorandum also asserted that all bus stands should provide safe drinking water for staff as well as passengers. “This facility is missing at the Ponda Bus Stand, leaving consumers without access to clean water,” he said.
The Ponda Bus Stand does not have adequate fire safety measures in place, added Martins. Basic fire prevention and safety measures are necessary to protect drivers, conductors, and passengers, he said.
Martins also called for a complaint book to be made available at the bus stand. “Passengers should have the means to register complaints about identified deficiencies, non-issuance of tickets, overcharging, missing articles, etc. The Ponda Bus Stand lacks a complaint book and does not display information about the Grievance Officer of KTCL and the Directorate of Transport,” he pointed out.
In light of these issues, Martins requested a meeting involving all relevant agencies, including KTCL, Transport Department, Traffic Police, PWD, Consumer Affairs, and Fire & Emergency Services, to address the lack of facilities at the bus stand. He stressed the importance of holding this meeting promptly, especially considering that schools are set to reopen in the first week of June.
