With the use of Intelligent Transport Management System people will get all the information regarding buses running under KTC on their mobiles within next six months. Command and Control Centre will be setup at Housing Board Porvorim in coming days including shifting of part office of Transport Department said Transport Minister, Shri Mauvin Godinho.
Flag off programme of “Mhaji Bus” Private Stage Carriage Buses, a scheme launched by Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited in association with Directorate of Transport on pilot basis for six months at Margao KTC bus stand in presence of PWD Minister, Shri Nilesh Cabral; MLA and KTC Chairman, Shri Ulhas Tuenkar and MLA, Shri Digamber Kamat today.
Shri Godinho said, urging all bus, taxi and other stakeholders in transport sector to support technology and digital system underscored the need to use modern technology and come on one platform. Digital system will be a game changer. Digital system will not allow any manipulation and people will get good service with transparency. He said, he is happy to see that Majhi Bus Scheme launched finally after so many efforts. He thanked first 25 private bus owners who came forward first to participate in this scheme. Financial approval for 187 bus has been taken so far in which 66 buses has enrolled their buses in this scheme. By seeing the response for this scheme file will be moved to take more buses onboard, he informed. He thanked the KTC staff for their tirelessly effort to serve for the public during the difficult covid pandemic period. Transport Department will spend Rs.3 crores for improvement of the Margao Kadamba Bus Stand and the work will be taken up through PWD. Another Rs.97 lakhs will be spent to improve the roads and illumination of the bus stand. Pending subsidy of bus owners will be cleared soon. Also a new scheme will be launched to replace all old private buses to new buses. National routes will also be provided to Private buses through KTC. All old private buses will be replaced to the 48 EV buses provided under Smart City project in Panjim. These old private buses will be accommodated under Mhaji Bus Scheme on other routes. In next two weeks public transport in Panjim will be smart transport with new EV buses. Public Transport system in Goa will be brought to next level with coming six months and asked for cooperation of all stakeholders of transport sector. He also urged taxi owners to enrol themselves on digital platform on their own. If they want they can create their own app but digital platform will be a must he added.
Further speaking he said, Margao KTC Bus stand will be converted to modern Bus Port in collaboration with State and union Government on PPP model. Also a special Corporation is formed by Union Government under the leadership of Union Transport Minister, Shri Nitin Gadkari which is in advance stage for this project. In first stage Panjim, Margao, Mapusa and Vasco bus stands with the help of central government will be converted to bus ports. All 18 bus stands of the State will be converted to modern Bus ports in near future.
Shri Nilesh Cabral said, if any shortcomings are there in Mhaji Bus Scheme they will be resolved soon. This scheme will see that all the buses are plying on their route as per their existing schedule and the bus owners will also get help from Government. There is a need of an online application which will provide all information regarding public transport system.
MLA, Shri Digamber Kamat said, Mhaji Bus Scheme is really a good initiative and said Kadamba is a subsidised transport for public. Chairman, KTC & MLA, Shri Ulhas Tuenkar said, this scheme will improve public transport facility.
Chairperson, Margao Municipal Council, Shri Damodar Shirodkar; Vice Chairman, KTC, Shri Kritesh Naik Gaonkar; General Secretary, All Goa Private Bus Owners Association, Shri Sudip Tamhankar; Transport Director, Shri Rajan Satardekar and others were present at the occasion.
