Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: After the Smart City Meeting on March 14, the All Goa Private Bus Owners Association strongly disagrees with the government’s plan to install electric buses in Panaji.
The association’s members flocked to Azad Maidan to voice their displeasure, claiming they were neither notified nor consulted about the Chief Minister’s decision.
The association claims that private bus owners view the government’s decision to permit electric buses to run in Panaji as a threat, as they worry that the Smart City project may completely phase out their vehicles. They contend that the Goa government and the transport department enforced the decision with force.
The association referenced a draft notification that was published on December 28, 2023, indicating that private bus services would no longer be offered on a number of routes, including those connecting Panaji to Dona Paula, Taleigao, Bambolim, and Miramar.
These routes were supposed to be replaced by Kadamba buses instead. The bus owners assert that they have not heard anything in response to their multiple objections to this notification.
The association also claims that the Chief Minister promised them that they would be present at all meetings and that they would be involved in any discussions regarding bus operations.
On the other hand, a final notification permitting electric buses to start operating on March 18, 2024, was issued following the recent Smart City Meeting on March 14.
The bus owners expressed their anger and frustration and expressed worries for the families who work in bus operations, such as mechanics, drivers, conductors, and cleaners. They see the government’s decision as a danger to their means of subsistence, and they want more communication and a solution from the authorities.
