TEAM HERALD
BELGAUM: The long-pending Goa Darshan issue has finally been resolved, as Goan authorities have given the green signal to the weekly service by North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) authorities.
Goa’s Director of Transport Arun Desai, who was in Belgaum on Sunday after holding a meeting with NWKRTC authorities, has given the green signal to the bus service on reciprocal basis, where two buses would be pressed into service from either side every Sunday.
Accordingly, Goan authorities will commence a shopping special bus service every Sunday from Goa, where two buses would be pressed into service from two destinations in Goa for Belgaum every Sunday morning at 6 am. Similarly, the Goa Darshan buses will leave from Belgaum to Goa every Sunday morning at 6 am.
Speaking at a meeting at the Adarsha Palace hotel here, district transport officer Guddennavar along with social activist Satish Tendolkar and others urged Desai to take up the matter seriously as Goa would benefit by the regular flow of tourists every weekend from Belgaum.
DTO Guddennavar said that the bus service could be started as per the agreement between both the states that was signed earlier this year where both the states had agreed to increase the bus services on reciprocal basis.
However, due to the constitutional bindings and tedious procedures that would take very long time, both the sides agreed to commence to buses each from either side.
It was agreed in principle that NWKRTC authorities would restart the suspended Goa Darshan bus service from Belgaum every Sunday, while Kadamba authorities would commence two buses from Goa.
It may be recalled that after rising demand from the people of Belgaum region, NWKRTC authorities had commenced with its Goa Darshan service last year. However, due to heavy tax imposed by Goa the service had to be withdrawn, despite several meetings in the past.
