PANAJI
The Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) will begin operating the ‘Smart City’ bus service from Monday only on two of the seven proposed routes in and around Panaji.
KTC General Manager Narayan Naik said five of the e-buses will be pressed into service from Monday on two peripheral routes.
The first route will cover KTC bus-stand to Miramar, Dona Paula, Goa University, GMC Bambolim, St Cruz and back to KTC bus stand.
The second route, which will be operated from tomorrow will cover the same locales but in the opposite direction.
With the city road network still not back to normal post the completion of Smart City work, operating the bus service on the intra-city routes has been put off for now.
The city transport plan aims to connect it to its suburbs like St Cruz, Taleigao, Bambolim and Dona Paula and was originally slated for roll out in January this year but put off due to the delay in completing the Smart City sewerage and smart road projects
The 40-odd e-buses, including 49, 26 and smaller 14 seaters besides some 11-seater buggies, have been lying idle for the last few months, parked on the Goa University grounds at Taleigao plateau.
Meanwhile, the passenger fees to be charged for the service will be Rs 10 for the normal buses and Rs 20 for the air-conditioned, luxury ones.
