Team Herald
MARGAO: In response to complaints filed by the public and consumer
forum group GOACAN, the Transport Department
held a meeting with local bus owners to address concerns raised about these bus operators.
Nixon Soares, the Assistant Director of Transport (ADT), Enforcement, South Goa convened a meeting of all the City Bus owners in his office on Tuesday to set guidelines about do’s and don’ts and warned of action if the rules are not followed.
It may be recalled that earlier, in a letter addressed to the Collector and District Magistrate of South Goa, GOACAN had raised serious concerns about the misbehaviour of city bus personnel at the Margao KTC Bus Stand and en route to various destinations. The organisation has highlighted the frequent incidents of bus conductors aggressively hounding passengers at the Aquem bus stop, often resorting to physical means to coerce travellers into their vehicles.
According to GOACAN coordinator Roland Martins, these actions not only violate the conditions stipulated under the Bus Permit by the Directorate of Transport but also amount to a deficiency of service as per the Consumer Protection Act of 2019. The letter emphasises that such behaviour is not isolated to a single location but is also prevalent at the Margao KTC Bus Stand, where passengers arriving from Panjim and Vasco are often subjected to similar treatment. It has been reported that bus drivers even reverse their vehicles to block the path of passengers, allowing conductors to forcibly board them onto the buses.
To address these concerns, GOACAN has proposed several measures. They have suggested the designation of a specific bus bay at the Margao KTC Bus Stand for city buses, which would help streamline operations and make it easier for both locals and tourists to locate these services. The organisation also recommends issuing a ‘Margao City Bus’ sticker to these buses to facilitate monitoring by the Directorate of Transport’s MV Inspectors and Traffic Police.
