Plans to have ATM ticketing machine in buses
PANJIM, OCT 30
The All Goa Private Bus Owners’ Association President Sudip Tamankar on Saturday it was the right of all commuters to insist on travel tickets that have now been made mandatory, even as plans are on to bring in ATM ticketing machines.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the elections for AGPBOA’s new executive committee, Tamankar said efforts were on to streamline the operations of private buses across Goa and to bring about better discipline among the staff on the 1,379 vehicles.
He said they have expressed desire to the Kadamba Transport Corporation to have ATM ticketing machines on private buses as well. “The ticketing machines have the capacity to give full days record of ticket sales at the press of a button. This will save us a lot of time otherwise spent to know the number of ticket sales per day,” he mentioned.
Referring to complains of bad behaviour by bus conductors on some routes and non-printing of tickets by many operators, he said as and when complaints are received AGPBOA will move to take action by informing the law-enforcing authority.
Citing the earlier three meetings with authorities concerned, he placed several grouses faced by the bus operators the first one being that of timings at the KTC Bus Stand in Panjim. “There are three watches having different times for different routes at the KTC terminal. We want a standard clock denoting same time for every operator,” he mentioned.
Picking up on bad roads, he mentioned AGPBOA’s executive committee has decided to meet PWD Minister Churchill Aleamo to get these fixed. If the minister fails to take note of the problem then we will have to resort to agitations, he stated.
Tamankar said some of the bus stands in the state were in bad shape. The KTC Chairman should visit all the bus stands and see what improvements could be carried out, he insisted.
He said the AGBPOA is completing one year on December 13, 2010, and as such will have elections to have a new executive committee on November 27. I appeal to all those operators not registered with us to come and do so because only these will have a chance to vote, he mentioned.
