the goan I network
MARGAO
The all India bandh called by trade unions affected public transport in South Goa as most of the private buses, besides tourist taxis and other modes of transports stayed off the roads in response to the bandh call.
While many a city bus plying between Margao and the city outskirts from the old bus stand were on the roads, public transport on several routes from Margao, including the coastal belt, was affected throughout Wednesday.
At the KTC bus stand, one could spot only a handful of private buses even as the KTC rose to the occasion to ferry passengers to different destinations, including the Margao-Panaji, Margao-Canacona and Margao-Vasco routes.
A RTO vehicle with officials, besides a bus load of policemen, was stationed at the KTC bus stand as a precautionary measure since morning. Policemen were also posted at the Old bus stand as a precautionary measure and other sensitive points to avert any law and order issue.
Police, however, said there was no instance of any untoward incident reported from anywhere in the city.
At the Margao railway station, the black and yellow taxis were operating only between the city and destinations in South Goa. As the operators were apprehensive in plying their vehicles to North Goa, especially to the coastal belt of Calangute, out of fear of their vehicles being stoned by miscreants, they declined to ply their taxis to North Goa, leaving passengers and tourist to fend for themselves and look for alternate modes of transport.
Tourist taxi operations along Salcete’s coastal belt were also affected with the tourist taxi association joining the strike in response to the bandh call. Sources in the know said only a handful of taxis were on the road to transport tourists to the airport on departure calls.
