PANAJI
The Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) has added eleven more electric buses to the fleet of six servicing the new intra-city bus service introduced a month ago in Panaji.
According to a top KTCL official, 14 of the 48 e-buses procured under the 'Smart City' mission are now plying continuously from as early as 6.40 am through the day up to 8.30 pm daily on three routes.
Passengers are being charged two slab fares -- Rs 10 and Rs 20 -- depending on distance between starting and ending point of their journeys, the official said.
Meanwhile the service which is a novelty in the capital city's internal roads including the main city area and the market area is gaining popularity and the number of people using it is rising gradually.
The routes covered begin at the KTC bus stand and pass through the city via Paryatan Bhavan, Azad Maidan, Kala Academy, Caculo circle and back to the bus stand via the Immaculate Conception Church and Patto Circle.
Another one has buses beginning the journey at the Panaji municipal market and proceeding to Miramar, Caranzalem, Taleigao, Caculo Mall and back to the Parade Ground.
A third route covers Panaji bus stand, multi-level car park, Old Secretariat and onwards to Altinho via Doordarshan and Joggers Park before turning back down to the city via Factories & Boilers department, St Inez circle near Taj Vivanta, Kala Academy and back to the bus stand via the Divja circle.
The official said, four more routes will be gradually taken up by introducing the balance 30-odd e-buses currently parked and lying idle at the Goa University plateau within the next two months.
