Heavy buses banned entering Margao, Panjim cities
PANJIM, AUG 23
As the district administration has began implementation of its notification banning big Kadamba buses from plying into Margao and Panjim cities, the Corporation has urged the district administration to review the notification.
Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL), Managing Director Vanancio Furtado today confirmed that a letter has been already forwarded to the North Goa District Administration asking for the withdrawal of the notification.
“We have already written to collector urging him to withdraw the notification and allow the big buses enter capital city. We will also be writing a similar letter to South Goa collector,” Furtado said.
North Goa collector in the notification had banned Kadamba buses from plying into the city post after 8.30 am whereas the notification by South Goa collector insists that the buses will terminate near Ana Fonte spring and take a turn around back to bus stand.
Though the sudden decision has earned ire of section of passengers, the district administration officers says that the move is aimed at decongesting the traffic which is chock a block during morning office hours when several thousand vehicles enter these two important cities – Panjim and Margao.
“The notifications are entirely aiming to decongest the traffic mess in these cities,” a district administration officer said. KTCL managing director, however, says that such an act is likely to cause inconvenience to the passengers as the private buses are overloaded during morning hours.
Such a drastic move by the administration is also likely to affect the revenue earning of the KTCL, which has seen a rise in its revenue for last two months after it was hit by financial crisis.
Meanwhile, South district administration has decided to get a formal resolution from the MMC to continue with the current arrangement of terminating buses near Nanutel Hotel.
MMC chairperson Savio Coutinho said that they have received the letter from collector seeking a resolution.
“The letter would be placed before the council in the next meeting and appropriate decision would be taken,” he said. However, the chairperson refused to state whether council will ban the entry of buses or support them.
Sources stated that the massive traffic jams near Margao municipal junction had resulted in this notification.
