PANAJI
The city bus service as part of the 'Smart City Mission' could potentially rid the capital city of its traffic congestion conundrum but how well the State-owned Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) puts the plan into action from July 1 could be key to its success.
On Wednesday, the State government committed before the Bombay High Court to bring on the roads in Panaji from July 1 the 40-plus e-buses procured for the intra-city service, These e-buses have been lying idle at the Goa University plateau since January.
The plan involves plying the service on six routes from the capital to its suburbs like St Cruz, Taleigao, Bambolim and Dona Paula. Originally, it was planned to be implemented from January this year but got put off due to the delays in completing the sewerage and smart road projects in the city.
The 40-odd e-buses include large 49 seaters, mini buses (26 seater), micro buses (14 seater) and electric buggies (11 seater). There also are a few diesel-powered 30 seaters but KTC sources said not all will be operated from day one.
Commuters will be charged a standard fare of Rs 10 for normal buses and Rs 20 for the air-conditioned, luxury ones. Also, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) will have the powers to revise the fares.
One of the seven routes identified is dedicated for point-to-point commuting within the city. It originates at the KTC bus-stand and progresses into the city via Paryatan Bhavan, Azad Maidan, Kala Academy, Caculo circle at St Inez and returns back to the bus stand via the Immaculate Church and Patto Circle.
Another route is between the KTC bus-stand and Bambolim (Goa University) via the handicrafts corporation at Neuginagar, St Cruz Church, Goa Medical College and Goa University. The return trip on this route will cover NIO ciricle at Dona Paula, Miramar, Kala Academy, Divja Circle and back to the KTC bus stand.
Yet another route targets the traffic to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) market, originating there and covering Miramar, Caranzalem and back via Taleigao, Caculo Mall and Parade Ground.
Another route dedicated to facilitate commuting for city residents is the one that with originate at the KTC bus-stand and proceed to Altinho via a circuitous path that enters the city from the side of the multi-level car park at Patto and heading towards Old Secretariat and up to Altinho via Progress High School, Doordarshan and Joggers Park. The return trip will take the road down via the Factories & Boilers department, St Inez circle near Taj Vivanta and progress to Kala Academy before taking the journey back to the bus-stand along the DB Marg and Divja circle.
Yet another route targeting the city traffic is the one from the KTC bus-stand and heading to Nevginagar before proceeding towards Bhatulem, TB Hospital and back into the city through the internal road from former mayor Francisco (Baschik) Branco's house to the St Inez (Taj Vivanta) circle. From there it progresses to the CCP market and onwards back to the KTC bus-stand via the DB Marg and the Divja circle.
Two other routes are meant to cater to commuters travelling from Panaji to the suburbs of St Cruz and Taleigao. The first again originates at Panaji's CCP market and heads to St Cruz via the Caculo Mall, Madhuban apartments, Bhatulem, Four Pillars, St Cruz Church, GMC and Cujira.
The Panaji-Taleigao route will cover Nevginagar, TB Hospital at Bhatulem, Shankar Devasthan, Taleigao, St Cruz and back to the Panaji bus-stand via the Four Pillars, Mary Immaculate Girls High School and Patto Circle.
