l October 6 will mark three years of laying of foundation stone for the hub l Plans lying in the dumps for the past two years
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
The Port Town of Vasco would soon join other smaller towns such as Cuncolim and Canacona to have a spacious bus stand. If KTC Chairman Carlos Almeida is to be believed, the government would soon tender work of the new bus stand for the Port Town.
Sadly, there appears no plan in place for an ultra modern bus stand for the state’s commercial capital. In fact, October 6 would mark three years since the previous Congress regime had laid the foundation stone for the construction of an ultra modern transport hub with modern facilities for inter-state transport to phase out the existing Margao KTC bus stand operating from a “make shift” shed at the city’s northern entrance.
Inquiries with the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) and the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) revealed that the transport hub plan has been literally lying in the dumps since the BJP regime assumed office two years ago. Initial plans to review the transport hub plan to meet the requirements have failed to take off. The GSIDC, which was engaged by the Transport Department, to engage a consultant to put the transport hub plan in place, has received no further correspondence from the transport officials till date.
Says GSIDC Managing Director, Sanjit Rodrigues: ‘Nothing is finalised as far as the Margao transport hub is concerned. Our agency was engaged by the Transport Department to prepare the plan. Right now, we have not received any further communication from the Transport department.”
KTC Chairman Carlos Almeida said the KTC had recently taken up the long-pending issue of Margao bus stand with Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar. “The Chief Minister has promised to call a meeting to review the Margao bus stand, may be by month end or next month. The transport hub plan prepared by the previous government needs modification. You cannot have a swimming pool or a hotel in a bus stand,” he said.
Carlos is of the firm opinion that a new plan should be drawn afresh taking into account the actual needs of passengers and the transport stake holders. He, however, hastened to add that he was instrumental in streamlining to a large extent the problems plaguing the Margao KTC bus stand after taking over the reigns. “We have opened a new counter and have enforced separate queues. The new measures have helped to streamline the situation”, he added.
Incidentally, the chief minister had last year hinted of relocating the Margao bus stand into the nearby land acquired by Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) for a truck terminus. The proposal, sources said, was abandoned after local farmers along with Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, opposed the plan.
