CANACONA
The broken gutter railing at the KTC bus stand in Chaudi-Canacona has been linked to a second mishap in a week, after a KTC bus hit two stationary private buses at the bus stand.
While no one was injured, all three buses were damaged in the mishap.
According to reports, a KTC bus (GA-03 X-0287) arriving from Kumta and scheduled to proceed towards Margao had arrived at the Canacona bus stand, when the bus hit two private buses (GA-08-T-4485 and GA-08-T-4040) which were parked at the bus terminus and waiting for their scheduled departure.
According to the KTC driver, he was attempting to park the bus inside the terminus when he suddenly lost control of the steering after the bus violently jerked while going over the broken gutter railing.
The driver blamed the broken gutter railing for the mishap as the railing got stuck under the KTC bus.
Incidentally, both incidents involved KTC buses and the broken gutter railing got stuck in both buses
Poor maintenance has plagued the KTC bus stand which was touted as the state-of-art bus stand when it was inaugurated in 2014, with locals complaining that the KTC has failed to maintain the bus stand effectively.
Incidentally, the steel grating which covers the gutter is filled with mud and dirt, causing rainwater to flood the bus stand.
Private bus owners, who have been complaining of poor businesses since the Covid pandemic, have demanded immediate maintenance of the bus stand and have also sought financial relief to private operators to overcome their losses.
