Former chief minister, Digambar Kamat’s much trumpeted KTChub in Margao has just got delayed.
The KTC hub was to serve as the South Goa DistrictHeadquarters and a state of the art bus stand for 5,000 commuters from Margao,Sanvordem, Sanguem, Canacona, Ponda and Quepem who visit the bus stand everyday.
The ambitious project was to cost Rs 200 crore and wouldconsist of malls, shopping complex and bus parking bays besides a state of theart facility for inter-state commuters.
But Digambar’s grand plan has not gone beyond laying afoundation stone in 2011 and Shantaram Naik promising MPLAD funds for theproject.
“I don’t like the idea of a bus-stand that will offer moreallied facilities and less bus-stand and parking facilities. I will take up thebus-stand only after completion of the district hospital and the new South GoaCollectorate,” said Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar.
Work on the KTC Hub may begin only in 2015, the chiefminister added.
He further said that these projects were white elephantsthat need to be investigated once the Lokayukta is setup.
“The current bus-stand is filthy. The roof always leaks inthe monsoons while the cattle defecate all around the bus stand. The benchesare broken and garbage from illegal gaddas is strewn all over the bus-stand,”said Sandhya Fernandes a daily commuter.
Activist and Borda resident Jose Maria Miranda pointed outthat in 1988 the Margao Prasar was denotified and made as a stop-over bus-standwhile all bus traffic was diverted to the new KTC Bus Stand. But the trafficscenario and facilities provided in the new bus stand is pathetic and evenworse than at the erstwhile Prasar.
“The KTC bus-stand has no benches to rest. Commuters have towait for hours for buses which are very irregular. Despite having a pay-parkingfacility, the bus-stand has no proper lighting facility. People are left tonegotiate their way into the dingy and spooky parking lots in the dark, wherefuel and vehicles parts are often found stolen,” said Remedine Gomes, a dailycommuter to Vasco.
