Team Herald
MARGAO: Overcrowding in KTC buses has raised serious concerns about safety of passengers, especially students, with citizens demanding immediate action, measures and urgent reforms to ensure the overall safety of travellers.
The citizens alleged that passengers are not being issued proper tickets and demanded that additional buses be pressed into service during school hours to ensure that students attend their classes on time.
Velim MLA Cruz Silva, who personally travelled on one of these buses, got a firsthand experience of the unsafe conditions endured by the students.
Speaking to mediapersons, MLA Silva said, “I personally travelled on the bus on Monday, and it was evident that students, particularly the girls, are not safe in these overcrowded buses.”
He said that he had visited the area in response to allegations that a boy was harassing a girl student onboard a bus. Shockingly, during his visit, the MLA said that he witnessed the unsafe conditions and overcrowding in the bus.
“The students are not at fault, they need to reach their college on time and cannot afford to miss classes, so they board the buses even when they are overcrowded,” he added. The MLA said, “However, there is an urgent need for safety measures and the number of buses should be increased during school hours to address these issues.”
Stating that overcrowding in the KTC buses is a regular feature, Peterson Fernandes, a local, said, “We have been consistently observing buses jam-packed with students and other passengers. It is also true that many boys are involved in harassing girl students on the buses, yet no safety measures are in place.”