PERNEM: The Pernem bus stand, one of the dream projects of the people of Pernem is still not thrown open to the public and the issues such as parking and traffic congestion still haunt Pernem town.
It has been a year now that the bus stand project, which was inaugurated on December 20, 2016 even though almost 40 per cent of the project work remained incomplete, remains unused.
And despite completing exactly one year next Wednesday, the situation remains the same and the work on the project lingers on.
In fact, the premise of the bus stand has now turned into a home for abandoned cattle and parking place for some selected few vehicles.
And since the bus stand is not thrown open for public use, only few Kadamba and private buses use the premise.
Moreover, the major issue of traffic congestion on the crossroads is still pending and there seems no solution in sight. The junction of this crossroad is now being used as a bus stand for years now. And even after having a good bus stand in its vicinity people have no option but parking their vehicles at this junction.
And since the bus stand is not thrown open to the public, people are forced to wait at this junction and wait for hours for the buses to arrive.
Sources point out that the project work is almost complete and only the finishing work is going on. The project is presently with GTDC and once the work completes, it will be handed over to the transport department.
The other issue that seems to be holding up the project is the issue of three shops located just outside the bus stand.
Sourced informed that the three shops will cause obstruction to free movement of buses, to and from the bus stand and the removal of these shops would be essential to decongest the entrance.
Locals have criticised the government and its departments for this lethargic approach and not paying heed to the demands of the people and addressing their long-pending grievances.
“Its been a year that the project is inaugurated yet the authorities are coming up with a set of new excuses every time. If it was not ready, the government should have not inaugurated it. Every time we look at the bus stand, it looks like it will take more one year to complete because some or the other problem will keep occurring,” said Mahesh Naik, a local, who is keen to have the bus stand service soon.
“This bus stand is the need of hour for the people of Pernem. The traffic congestion caused on the four road junction is turning dangerous, especially for school children, during peak hours. There are no safety measure at this junction, such as zebra crossing lines or even a traffic police deployed to help the people to cross the road safely,” another local, Dipesh Arolkar lamented.
Locals feel that the government and their representatives wake up only when people raise their voices or hold a dharna and do not care for the needs of the people, even though the representatives have been voted in power by the people to serve them and solve their problems.
