Team Herald
MAPUSA: New Mapusa bus stand is an unrealized dream of Mhapshekars.
It’s been two years now that government has acquired land for the New Mapusa bus stand but even after two years, people of Mapusa and visitors can only see an open space, not a bus stand complex.
Government acquired around 20,000 sq m of land in February 2015 for the bus terminus, work of which is divided in three phases for it to get complete, but from last two years after acquisition and the dream seen by the people of Mapusa from last many years is still lying as it is in open space.
The first phases which included land acquisition, land filling and construction of retaining wall is completed but the second phase, which includes a 25-metre wide road that would be constructed to link the bus stand to National Highway-17 at Mapusa-Bastora junction near the bridge and the third phase of the project which includes construction of a new bus stand building conversion of the present KTC bus stand into a parking lot for around 600 cars, work of the same is yet started yet.
As per the plan, the new bus stand building will house the Regional Transport office, offices and a shopping complex & is designed keeping public safety in mind, where commuters can reach their respective platforms without any risk of accidents. The bus stand will be connected to rickshaw and pilot stand with a covered roof. It will also have pedestrian friendly footpaths which will connect the market yard and Mapusa market.
The total parking capacity of the new bus stand is 1,050 two-wheelers and 850 four-wheelers. With 58 bus bays and 36 idle bays. All the requirements for travelers such as toilets, canteen will be provided.
Calangute MLA and ex-chairman of North Goa Planning Development Authority Michael Lobo said, “The project has been approved by the PDA, but the transport department has to pay Rs 3.5 crore as infrastructure development tax. There is no provision to exempt this amount even if it is a government project due to which the file is stuck. The transport department needs to do book transfer only after which exemptions order will be given. After the book transfer the work will start which requires only three working days.”
Mapusa Municipal Chairperson Sandip Falari said that the municipality has no role to play in the construction of the new bus stand at Mapusa, as it “is a government project developed by transport department.”
Reema Arolkar a local said,” we want the present bus stand to be rebuilt because walking all the way from college, market with heavy bags or from any other place to the new proposed bus stand area will be very hectic. The new acquired land can made for parking which is a major problem here.
The land acquired by the government has been filled up but even after the incomplete work, the place is kept open for parking. Mainly the tourists buses which enter Mapusa from Mumbai & other area pick up thier passengers from the old bus stop parking area but they drop the pessagngers at the new acquired land.
President of Mapusa taxi association Vithal Mandrekar said, “The new acquired filled up land is kept open for the public where the tourist buses are parked and instead of dropping the passengers at their previous spot opposite the taxi stand, they directly drop them at the new bus stand area due to which, the tourists directly hire private taxi’s parked there and do not come to the prepaid taxi counter which is at the taxi stand. These tourist buses were shifted by the traffic police due to the traffic congestion which take place during Christmas festival two years before that also just for a week but now two years have passed, this buses are still going there and dropping the passengers which is a loss for taxi owners & profit for private vehicles.
We have around 60 taxis parked here at the taxi stand but due to the shifting of bus parking from the taxi stand to new bus stand area, to private taxi take the passengers & charge them whatever amount. Also no provision has been made for our prepaid taxi owners to park our taxi and serve the tourist. Starting few days we tried taking passengers from there but due to dust pollution most of our drivers got sick and had to be admitted in hospital. There is no provision made for the tourists or passengers because of which even they are unhappy.
A local Sarvesh Pandhre said, “What the MLA of Mapusa has done for people of Mapusa from last twenty years? He has always given big talks that he will do so and so but still no implementation has been done of any of his given promises. It took three years for the sewage project but that also is still incomplete. With this kind of MLA, what can we expect?
He added, taxi stand came in Mapusa but later turned into parking. Other areas where parking is available, there only rent a bike is available and no parking for public. Where the Bombay buses were getting parked before, fast food have come up who put up their tables on roads, there are some taxi owners who have more than two three taxi’s of thier own & they are dominating the taxi business. So the new bus stand project is for the people of Mapusa & the travelers or for business purpose is a major question to think. Building bus stand for Mapusa is a good thing but are the authorities sure that this won’t end up into a down town scheme?
