Bus owners call off stir
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, NOV 21
The All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOW) today withdrew their strike scheduled for Monday following Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s assurance to resolve their issues.
AGPBOA President Sudip Tamankar confirmed the development. “The chief minister met us today and assured he will hold meetings to solve our grievances. Accordingly, we decided to call off the strike,” he told Herald.
Angered over the recent decision of not all allowing private buses to operate from the old bus stand in Margao, the association last week decided that private buses will remain off road on November 22.
Speaking to Herald, Kamat said that he asked the association members, to stop protesting over petty issues. “I have assured them to hold meetings to solve their grievances,” he said.
The first meeting on the Margao issue will be held on Monday and Tuesday, which will be chaired by the minister.
Tamankar earlier had alleged that many issues to be sorted out are pending and that the government has not shown willingness to resolve them. Their other demands included improvement at Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) bus stands in all the major cities in Goa, to allow private buses to display advertisements as allowed on KTC buses, delay in submitting RC books, and an office for their association at the KTC terminus.
The latest traffic changes effected in Margao has also irked the association members. Kamat said that another meeting with regards to these complaints will be discussed in a joint meeting of the transport minister, director of transport, transport secretary and KTC officials.
Reacting on fresh assurances, Tamankar said that further action will be decided after the two meetings.
