Margao: The Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) in particular and the government agencies in general are facing an acid test as the KTC will temporarily stop operating from the existing Margao bus stand and shift its operations to the makeshift bus stand at midnight to pave the way for executing arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vikasit Bharat rally at Margao on February 6.
Reason: A day after the South Goa District Collector, Asvin Chandru, IAS issued a notification shifting the Margao KTC bus stand from February 1 to February 7 in view of the Prime Minister’s February 6 rally at the bus stand, the PWD is working overtime to put basic amenities at the makeshift bus stand behind the Samrat garden, opposite the Swimming Pool, Fatorda.
A visit to the makeshift bus stand on Wednesday revealed that the entire SAG-acquired land has been filled up to host the bus stand. Around 500 truckloads of mud has been dumped on the land in question to pave way for the ground to play host to the makeshift bus stand.
Fears of dust pollution worry locals
Fears of dust pollution at the venue have been raised in many quarters, with the land in question filled up only recently and the compacting of the ground by heavy machinery seemed to have not achieved the desired results till date.
Fears are also raised that commuters may not alight or embark the buses from the bus stand, but may prefer to take the buses when the vehicles come on the main road if proper measures are not initiated by the agencies to contain the dust pollution.
A senior PWD engineer told The Goan that it’s not feasible to completely compact the recently filled up ground, even saying that dust would rise when buses move on the ground. The officer pointed out that tarring or soling of the ground is also out of question since the land has been acquired for sports activity.
“We have requested the fire brigade to water the ground every day, preferably around noon, to contain the dust pollution. Let us wait and see how things unfold at the makeshift bus stand,” the PWD officer added.
Two pandals erected for makeshift terminal, 13 mobile toilets set up
The KTC has erected two pandals at the makeshift bus stand, one for the intra-state and inter-state buses and the other for the city buses.
Around 13 mobile toilets were also put up at the makeshift bus stand on Wednesday evening. Boards have been installed at the pandal housing the intra-state buses for the benefit of the commuters travelling to various destinations. Seating arrangements have been put in place by placing a couple of chairs in the pandal meant for the intra-state buses.
KTC officials, including the depot manager, were supervising and monitoring the work of shifting the bus stand from the existing stand to the makeshift stand.
A senior KTC official said the existing bus stand will be shut from midnight as per the notification issued by the District Collector, adding that the intra-state and city buses will start operating from the makeshift bus stand from tonight.
Narrow approach road cause of worry
While hectic activity was seen at the makeshift bus stand to set up the temporary facilities at the ground, the biggest worry that has come to stare the authorities, including the KTC managers, is the narrow road leading to the makeshift ground from the main Ravindra Bhavan road.
Reason: Not only the approach road to the makeshift ground is narrow, but the buses, including the big-size KTC buses, will have to contend with a sharp turn right at the entrance.
Doubts have been raised about whether two big-sized KTC buses will be able to ply on the narrow road, especially near the sharp turn. Also, there are fears that commuters might prefer to alight on the main Ravindra Bhavan road if the narrow approach road to the makeshift bus stand leads to traffic congestion coupled with the fact that the makeshift bus stand results in dust pollution on the ground.
