THE GOAN SPECIAL
AFAQ KHAN
VALPOI: It was an unusual sight the other day when a large group of school kids stormed into the Valpoi police station to lodge their “complaint” with the policemen. Their grievance: the erratic KTC bus services in remote areas of Sattari taluka.
What makes their “complaint” even more unusual is the fact that this is the second time in two years that the children have been forced to visit the police station regarding the same grievance.
The incident took place recently when a KTC bus which plies to Hivre via Valpoi failed to reached Valpoi at 1.30 pm. Left stranded, the angry students from various schools, who were waiting for the bus, marched to the Valpoi police station and highlighted their grievance to the policemen.
PI Dalvi recalled a similar situation last year, when some school children had marched to the Valpoi police station to complain about the irregular bus services. “The police is helpless in such cases. We cannot take legal action against the KTC. It is only the transport department that can act in such matters. But in case of private buses, the police can initiate action through the RTO,” the PI said.
That day the Valpoi police dropped around 15 students to their respective homes, even as the situation needs a permanent solution.
A student, Suyesh Varak, informed that the main problem has getting a bus in the afternoon to reach home. “In the morning there are buses along the Hivre via Pali (Thane) route, but the problem is afternoon when the school hours end. If we miss the 1.30 pm bus, there is no other alternative. We are forced to travel in private vehicles to reach home, Varak said.
Tulsidas Kanekar, a teacher, pledged full support to the affected students of his and other schools. “This is sheer negligence of the KTC. If students miss one bus they have to wait for hours to get another bus, the reason being very few buses ply along the remote villages of Sattari,” said Kanekar. “Authorities should ensure that buses plying in remote areas are regular to avoid hardship to small children, specially during the rainy season,” he added.
“Not only students, but also passengers depend on these bus services. Parents get worried if their wards are stranded due to erratic bus services and do not reach home in time. This is the case in Hivre, Charvane and other remote areas of Sattari taluka,” said an angry parent.
