GOACAN has expressed concern that interior furnishing is being undertaken in the illegally constructed shop at the KTC Bus Stand, Mapusa.
The NGO has called for the long pending demolition of the shop and restoration of the seating area as well as bus bay No 5 in the interest of public safety before any untoward accident occurs at the bus stand.
In a letter to the deputy director of transport (administration) Nancy Fernandes, GOACAN has pointed out that the illegal shop constructed by dismantling bus bay No 5 at KTC Bus Stand, Mapusa, has still not been demolished.
The managing director of Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) Derrick Pereira Neto was told to do so and restore bus bay No 5 and the sitting area (benches used by women and senior citizens) vide letter No.DTpt./EST/278/1/2016/11 dated 04/1/2022.
The letter further stated, "Moreover in the last few days we have noticed that the three shutters have been painted and interior furnishing activity is being carried out in a great hurry so as to begin commercial activity in the said illegal shop”.
It may be noted that GOACAN had written to the director of transport on 03/11/2021 that an encroachment of the passenger seating area and access to bus bay No 5 was being undertaken to construct a tea stall permitted by KTCL at the Mapusa bus stand.
This encroachment was noticed during the inspection of the bus stand conducted by the Monitoring Cell of the North Goa District Road Safety Committee on October 28, 2021, and was listed as a direct impediment to fire safety due to the enclosure created by the construction of this shop.
The matter was discussed at subsequent meetings of the North Goa District Road Safety Committee chaired by the district collector wherein it was assured that the illegal shop would be demolished and the seating area and bus bay No 5 would be restored in the interests of public safety.
GOACAN has expressed its disappointment that the instructions of the director of transport and the district collector are being bypassed to satisfy some petty commercial interests at the KTC Bus Stand at Mapusa.
Copies of the GOACAN letter have been sent to the chief secretary, transport secretary, North Goa collector, director of fire and emergency service, municipal administration and civil supplies and consumer affairs, assistant director of transport enforcement (North) and SP traffic police.