MARGAO: The poor maintenance of bus stops, particularly during the rainy season, has compelled commuters, who rely on public transportation, to either stand in muddy puddles or risk getting drenched and dirty when the bus arrives.
“It’s a nightmare every monsoon,” says Maria Fernandes, a daily commuter from Quepem. “We’re forced to either stand in muddy puddles or risk getting drenched and dirty when the bus arrives,” she said.
The complaints primarily focus on the areas where buses halt for passenger boarding, which often become muddy and waterlogged due to rain.
Sharing his experience, Ravi Naik, a college student from Margao, said, “Sometimes, invariably even if you try to avoid it, there is some dirty water splashed on our sandals and bottom portion of our pants. It can be embarrassing for us.”
Adding to their woes, the bus stops are not properly maintained, offering insufficient protection from the elements. This becomes especially problematic during prolonged rain periods, leaving passengers exposed to the weather while waiting for a bus.
“One wonders when the bus stop was last cleaned or if there are homeless people taking shelter here at night. At times it stinks badly due to plastic waste strewn around,” laments Sunita Kamat, an office-goer from Sanvordem.
These issues not only create inconvenience for daily commuters, but also pose potential health and safety risks. The situation highlights the need for improved infrastructure and regular maintenance of public transportation facilities in Goa, especially in preparation for and during the monsoon season. As the rains continue, the calls for action from frustrated commuters grow louder, urging local authorities to address these long-standing problems and improve the overall public transport experience in the region.
“We pay our taxes and bus fares. Is it too much to ask for a clean and safe place to wait for our buses?” questions Joseph D’Souza, a senior citizen who frequently uses public transport.
The sentiment echoes across Goa as commuters hope for swift action to upgrade and maintain bus stops before the next monsoon season arrives.
They said that these issues were raised during the public meetings with ministers that were held in each taluka, a couple of months ago, where some suggestions were for an audit to take place at least of bus stops that have a lot of people waiting and particularly during peak hours, so that the authorities can also see the other problems they face, like difficulty in crossing the roads, how much time a bus takes to reach the bus stop, etc.
Incidentally, they added that it is not easy travelling in buses in the rain, with people carrying their wet umbrellas and raincoats. They even pointed out how in a KTC bus, water was leaking from the ceiling of the bus and some passengers had to use umbrellas inside the bus to protect themselves.
