Award winning Cuncolim Bus stand stands underutilised and has became a White Elephant. One of the best examples of modern bus stand and masterpiece of modern architecture, it has even won the Best Structure award.
Cuncolim Bus stand was constructed 10 years back through the initiative of former Urban Development minister Joaquim Alemao. This bus stand was the long pending demand of Cuncolkars which was completed by Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) by spending Rs 3.5 crore from the government treasury.
This huge and beautiful Bus Stand is underutilised now and people are wondering if there was a need at all of such bus stand for a small town. Questions are also raised whether the bus stand is underutilised because of its size or because of no proper planning and system in place.
Locals are blaming Kadamba Bus Transport Corporation for not utilising such a beautiful bus stand. The bus stand which was constructed by the GSUDA is now under KTC which has failed to maintain this bus stand. There are more than 20 shops, many are which are closed. Very few passenger buses enter this bus stand.
The motive of constructing a bus stand outside the market was to reduce traffic congestion. It was decided to denotify bus stop at Keni pharmacy and at patrol pump. Both the bus stops were denotified so that new bus stand would be used. The police and RTO forced the buses to use the new bus stand initially, but slowly everything was forgotten and the buses began making illegal stops at the market thereby increasing the traffic congestion.
There is no system to penalise those buses which are not following the traffic rules.
Some Cuncolkars are blaming former MLA Alemao for constructing a White Elephant. Ten years have elapsed and some people call it a waste of public money while others term is as unplanned development.
It is difficult to understand why KTC is not keen on maintaining this beautiful bus stand by providing essential facilities like drinking water.
There is no person from KTC to look after its daily affairs. It is also being misused by some miscreants. A part of it is being used by two-wheelers for parking. A part of it has been rented to the Electricity Department.
If there are no checks on the illegal bus stops in the market by authorities, residents fear that the award winning bus stand may soon turn into a haunted place.
