Sarpanchas from four coastal panchayats in the Benaulim constituency — Cavelossim, Carmona, Orlim, and Varca — have urged the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) to introduce regular bus services on the Cavelossim-Margao route, citing the daily hardship faced by commuters due to erratic private bus operations.
In a meeting with KTC Chairman Ulhas Tuenkar, they raised concerns over the lack of dependable public transport, which they said was severely affecting school and college students, as well as residents who rely on buses to reach Margao for work and other needs.
Varca Sarpanch Flavio Baretto pointed out that students are often left waiting at bus stops for extended periods. “Many children are unable to reach school or college on time due to the poor bus service. This is a serious issue for our villages,” he said. Carmona Sarpanch Sandra Fernandes echoed his concern, saying, “The common people depend on public transport. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure a proper and reliable bus service.”
Orlim Sarpanch Simon Pereira also highlighted repeated complaints from villagers about transport issues. “We have brought this to the government’s attention several times,” he said.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz, who led the delegation, expressed hope after the meeting. “Our village is at the far end of the route, and the people here rely entirely on public buses. I’ve written to the authorities many times, but there’s been no improvement. After today’s meeting with the KTC chairman, I am hopeful that we will finally get a dedicated Kadamba bus,” he said.
The panchayats said they expect the government to respond promptly and ensure that residents along the coastal belt are not left stranded due to transport neglect.