PANJIM: Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho announced that Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) is set to take over 184 private buses and will operate on their routes, i.e. from Ponda to Panjim and Canacona to Margao.
The Minister was speaking about how the government had again come to the rescue of the public and tourists by operating buses from the Dabolim Airport to Calangute and other areas.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
He was referring to how the ongoing taxi strike had attempted to create a situation where tourists won’t have transport options.
“People keep criticising KTC for not making profits but we have to realise it is a public utility company and they are always helping the public. Earlier, it was during the pandemic. We have to thank them,” Godinho added.
Godinho added that such move of KTC taking over the private buses, a process which is to be completed soon, will benefit the public itself who were earlier only dependent on private buses.
Godinho also defended the State government plans to keep the amended Motor Vehicle Act in abeyance despite it being a Central law. He clarified that the States can do so and other States have already done so and that the State government had done their part by notifying the Act.
“The Cabinet is only keeping it in abeyance, which it is allowed to do,” he added.
He also rejected charges that the State government was being told what to do by the ruling political party, given that the BJP State president had asked to delay the MV Act and said the Leader of Opposition had also made the same appeal.
“We have taken this decision in the interest of the public,” he added.
The BJP MLA further added that he will be writing to the Prime Minister expressing concerns about the imposition of steep fine in the MV act, which poses a great burden to the common man at a time when they are struggling to make ends meet due to the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic.
