PANJIM: The much awaited globally used low-floor 42-seater buses, that were to be inducted into the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC)’s fleet of buses, are likely to hit the road within the next fortnight as the state government has sanctioned ` 3.75 crore for the vehicles.
The buses were to be procured under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), but pending the funds from the Centre, the state has decided to release the funds till that happens.
The KTC chairman, Mr Deepak Dhavlikar said that the state government has sanctioned the amount and that the Corporation will take possession of the buses shortly and the buses should hit the road within the next couple of weeks.
The buses were to be delivered earlier this year, however, the failure of the state government to have a parking policy in place had come as a roadblock as the Centre did not release funds for the low-floor 42-seater buses under JNNURM.
The KTC made several efforts to get the funds from the Centre but to no avail with the Corporation finally placing a request before the state government to release the funds as it will persist with the Centre to release the funds under JNNURM, which then will be reimbursed to the state government.
A source in the KTC, on a condition of anonymity, informed that around ` 3 crore is pending as the second installment from the Union Ministry for Urban Development.
He said that the Corporation has already added some mini buses under the scheme, adding the Union Ministry for Urban Development has not released the money as the state government has to undertake reforms, which include having a parking policy of its own, besides, creating a special corpus fund and also to have an urban mass transit facility.
He said that the Corporation is pursuing with various government departments on carrying out reforms, however, there is a lack of coordination between the departments.
Under the scheme, the Centre was to provide 80 per cent of the cost while the state has to provide for the remaining 20 per cent, he said adding the total cost of the 20 buses is around ` 3.8 crore.
It learnt that the Corporation had written to the Centre that Goa is too small a state to have an urban mass transit facility and hence the state government has already written to the Union Ministry of Urban Development to exempt the state from the transit facility, and to release the funds.
The source also stated that KTC officials recently held a meeting with the department of urban development to take stock of the situation. The source added that the department is looking into the matter and a final decision will be taken by the end of this month.
The 20 low-floor buses are fitted with LED destination boards, automatic ticketing machines, GPS-ready facility and other
modern facilities.
Meanwhile, Mr Dhavlikar said that the KTC is committed to improve the quality of services for the commuters and is in the process of revamping its services.
He said that the KTC has sent a proposal to the Centre to connect rural areas with the nearest city, town.
When asked about the allegations by private bus owners over harassment from KTC, he said these are baseless allegations.
The KTC chairman said that KTC are looking to connect several rural villages which are not connected by private bus owners hence there is no clash.
He further said that KTC are only looking to provide services to the passengers and has also requested the private bus owners to improve the quality of services. “Passengers should be treated like God,” he added.
Will not work in Goa as these buses need roads without bumps and potholes. Who made the survey and assessment to bring these buses on Goan roads? Will they not hit the mountain like bumpers ont he road? What a waste of public money. By the way, who got the commission?
ReplyDeleteThe Jones have in so will we that is the way out Goan Government thinks. These guys gamble with the tax payers money. These buses are not meant for roads built with rubble and tar. Concrete and tar roads ate more suitable for these busses
ReplyDeleteFriends... Our Menino de Valpoi (Niz Goenkar) celebrated his birthday yesterday (22/09/2010). If anyone wants to wish him a belated birthday and long life, you all can do so at his email address. God Bless Menino, Long live Menino and Niz Goenkar!
ReplyDeleteDalia and Diogo.... Do we need competent surveyors to make assessment to bring these buses on Goa roads??? all our ministers are experts on these issues. The PWD Minister and his concerned associates must have again added to their coffers or coffins. If some experts like these were ministers in UK, and if UK was corrupt like Goa, they would have recomended bullock carts on UK roads.
ReplyDelete"Passengers should be treated like God" - KTC Chairman.
ReplyDeleteI guess the KTC is getting us closer to GOD. With this new buses and advanced technology onboard, the passengers will definitely enjoy a good ride for a couple of days until all of these buses are seen idealing in the KTC depots for repairs, some may even have their spares go missing. Offcourse, Goans will be employed in these areas where technical expertise is needed but for how long, we do not know.
Has the Ministry of Transportation co-ordinated and reviewed these substandard and narrow roads with the general public prior to approving them for new technology? Most of these roads have the asphalt and the stones flying all over the place and on to the rear, the famous look-a-like pond type potholes, missing manhole covers, construction work in progress on the middle of the road where diversion is through the paddy fields, olympic type huddles called speed breakers where buses are most likely to see-saw and passengers assisting the driver to lift and push, the trenches, piles of earth and gravel dug out and sitting for eternity.
How can these Chor Ministers not understand that even a motor cycle and the box cars have the issues with these roads, leave alone the big ones. Goa is on the top of the lists when it comes to accidents in India. The recent survey highlights these accidents solely due to narrow and dangerous roads.
My question is, why waste the exchequer's money amounting to billions of rupees and when will these Goan electorates come to their senses that enough is enough.