Bus owners threaten stir on Sept 6
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 28
The private buses in the State have threatened to remain off the road on September 6, if their demand to have a coordination committee to stop harassment by Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) is not fulfilled.
All Goa Private Bus Owners Association, general secretary Sudip Tamankar told a press conference that the government has been dragging its feet over the issue.
“We had submitted the memorandum to State Transport Ministry way back in February seeking to have a coordination committee to fix the issue boiling between the KTCL and private bus operators,” Tamankar said.
Transport department has failed to form the committee, which was supposed to have representatives from KTCL, the department and private bus operators.
The private bus operators rued that they have been at the receiving end due to undue favours granted to KTCL by the State government.
“KTCL claims to be facing loses every month although it has its own infrastructure which was built by the State government. All the bus stands are constructed by the State government for them but the State does not earn a single paisa from it,” Tamankar pointed out.
“KTCL is not spending a single paisa on maintenance of these bus stands, still they earn the revenue in a form of parking fees at the stand,” he alleged.
However, as per the statistics available from KTCL it is been stated that since last three years KTCL has spend nearly Rs 8 crore on the maintenance of all ten bus stands in the State.
Tamankar said that KTCL has been receiving undue favours from the government. “In 2001, Parrikar-led government had formed a subsidy scheme for the private buses. Till date 150 private buses have received the subsidy but simultaneously, 90 KTCL buses too have been benefited by it,” the bus operators said.
The Corporation is the winner of ‘Kilometer Per Litre Fuel Consumption Efficiency’ award which is constituted by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa governments.
“If they are having such high fuel efficiency than there is no reason for them to have revenue loses,” he claimed.
The private bus operators who had appealed the State to take over their business as it runs in losses, today said that they are ready to take over the KTCL.
“Give us KTCL for two months without any liability like Chairman or Managing Director. We will bring it in the profit,” Tamankar said.
