Bus conductors need to be sensitised to their duties. Apart from issuing tickets, they should ensure that reserved seats for senior citizens, PwD, and lady passengers are respected. Yesterday, while travelling from Sanquelim, I was shocked to see cargo placed on a senior citizen’s seat on a Kadamba bus from Bicholim to Titan-Verna. I wonder if any charges were collected for it. A few months ago, on an evening bus from Panaji to Valpoi, I saw two women occupying a seat reserved for a PwD passenger. When a man with a disability asked them to vacate it, they refused, citing their monthly passes. The conductor also refused to intervene, saying they were pass holders. Thankfully, a kind passenger gave up his seat. What was upsetting was the women shouting and accusing the man of harassment, saying men were taking advantage just because they were female. Sadly, it’s become common to falsely claim abuse on the basis of gender or caste when at fault. Another issue is that some women don’t occupy reserved seats early in the journey, but object when men sit there. If seats are reserved for them, they should use them and allow fair space to others.
