MAPUCA KTC BUS STAND AT LAST UNDER OFFICIAL SCANNER

MAPUSA: The utterly neglected and shabby KTC bus terminus at Mapusa, has finally come under the scanner of concerned officials, following a joint inspection conducted on Thursday by officials of KTC, FDA, RTO, traffic police and health.

Mapuca KTC Bus Stand

The Mapusa KTC bus stand, it may be noted, though strategically located and important, is completely neglected and no has given it much thought, as efforts are underway to build a new bus stand. However, it is felt that it is not correct to disown or neglect the present KTC bus stand.

A casual visit to the facility shows people, particularly men, openly spitting, smoking and urinating in the open, with least regard to cleanliness and the sentiments of others. There is sewage flowing into the open, emanating a foul stink. Heaps of garbage are seen collected as it is not cleared for days. Drain are choked resulting in flooding of the bus stand area. Abandoned government vehicles are dumped here and there is no security to speak of. Broken benches, absence of drinking water, no proper time table system, no effective control on buses and other public transport vehicles, irregular and haphazard style of functioning of the KTC staff attached to the Mapusa KTC control room and booking counters and improper parking of private buses greet the visitor here. The illumination on the bus stand is very poor, with only assurances of improvement but no results. Vehicles entering the Mapusa market sub-yard also enter through the bus stand, as there is no other way to enter the sub-yard.

The traffic police stationed at the bus stand to regulate and act against the indiscipline of the private bus operators, are mute spectators and just stand around the bus, while the offenders have a field day. Neither the KTC authorities, nor the transport authorities act or behave in a manner that would make the bus stand people friendly. The often given excuse is that a new bus stand is coming up soon. The sorry state of the Mapusa KTC bus stand was highlighted on many occasions by many agencies but nothing was done. Finally officials inspected the bus stand and it was only then that the authorities got a rude shock of the ground realities. Health officials, who have taken serious note of the situation prevailing at the bus stand, are likely to issue notices to the KTC. The Sulabh toilet at the bus stand has already been issued a notice some time back for poor sewage disposal.