Operators for considering buses under Indira Bal Rath Yojana
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 1
The private bus operators today said that their buses should have been considered under Indira Bal Rath Yojana by the State Government rather than spending lakhs of rupees to procure new buses.
“We have so many surplus buses that could have been considered under this scheme. Government would have saved the capital expenditure made on purchasing the buses,” All Goa Private Bus Owners Association, General Secretary Sudip Tamankar said.
Briefing the media persons today morning, Tamankar said “If government wants we are ready to give buses for each school. Where government is spending more than Rs 10 lakh on each bus under this scheme, we are ready to work for just Rs 60,000,”he added.
Under this unique scheme, which aims to provide transport services to the students belonging to ST communities to reach to their respective schools, the government has so far bought 120 bal raths across the State.
Tamankar said that the State Government is adding up to the traffic congestion by procuring new buses under the schemes.
“While on one side the central agency is paid to work out solution to decongest state roads, the government is congesting the same,” he alleged.
The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) is been appointed by the Goa government to prepare a detailed roadmap for state’s traffic plan.
Meanwhile, despite meeting with the transport director on Monday, the association is firm on its stand to remain off the road on September 6.
The association along with Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) officials had a meeting with the transport director Arun Desai over their demand to have coordination committee to stop alleged harassment by KTCL.
“Apart from this demand, we had put several other demands before the director,” he added.
“The director failed to give us any assurance over our demands. On the contrary, KTCL is planning to run more buses on additional 50 routes,” he said.
Meanwhile, talking to Herald, Desai said that none of the transport operators’ demands would be heard or fulfilled unless they form a society.
“We had told them earlier that a society of conductors, drivers and owners needs to be formed before putting up any demand before the government,” he said.
Desai however refused to comment on strike called by the operators.
The private bus operators, who had appealed the State to take over their business which is currently running into loss, are now willing to take over the KTCL, in order to make it profitable.
