BASURI DESAI
Following a report in Herald’s edition of June 20, Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) has improved the sad state of affairs at the bus stand, especially the shabby state which was occurring due to the monsoons. But sources say, the corporation has to do a lot more to improve the condition at the bus stand.
KTCL, through the Department of Information and Publicity, has issued a clarification on the news report stating there is no leakage of water in the bus stand and the PWD has plugged the leakages.
The water at the entrance is due to the water droppings of the umbrellas carried by the commuters, the clarification stated.
Meanwhile KTCL has pressed eight more buses on nationalised routes for the smooth traffic flow. But due to construction of the third bridge on the Mandovi River, vehicles are forced to slow down. This, they said, delays the buses entering the bus stand.
KTCL has further said that to maintain cleanliness on the bus stand, the corporation has made arrangements for dustbins.
“KTCL is planning to create a cloakroom and baby feeding cubical at the Panjim bus stand. The work of changing the roofing at the alighting bay will be taken up shortly” the corporation has said.
Herald has inspected the Panjim bus terminal again on Monday to verify the claims and found that leakages are repaired but water logging inside the stand is not. Even a five-minute downpour creates flooding.
It has also been found that cleanliness has improved but is still not up to the mark. Dust bins are in place, sweepers are also seen cleaning the floor. However, the electric cables near the public toilet are left open endangering the life of commuters.
It has been also noticed that one bus is parked inside the bus shed for many days. Local inquiries revealed that the bus has had a breakdown and it is lying in the bus shed for over a month.
It has been also noticed that the repairing of buses is being done right in the middle of bus shade which hampers the smooth traffic within the bus shed resulting chaos at the entry point.
Though KTCL has cited the construction of third bridge over River Mandovi leads in slow movement of buses at the entry point, the bus repairs take place inside the shed and one private bus in parked for over one month.
Herald, on June 20 edition, had reported that the KTCL bus terminal is waiting for the attention of authorities for the maintenance and cited few problems which are faced by the commuters.
