Porvorim: In his budget speech, chief minister Pramod Sawant announced that the redevelopment of the bus terminals at Margao, Mapusa and Vasco will be undertaken under the public–private partnership (PPP) model at an estimated cost of Rs 745 crore this year.Road safety activist Roland Martins, who led joint inspections across bus stands to highlight violations, said, “The proposals need to be in the public domain since PPP would result in people looking only at real estate value at the terminals. The bus stands need to be devoid of markets, malls, flyovers, or anything that can cause congestion. The focus should be on building a bus stand that is easily accessible to senior citizens, the disabled, and other commuters.”
Govt also plans to strengthen the fleet of the Kadamba Transport Corporation by procuring 137 new buses this financial year. An allocation of Rs 258 crore was made to enhance public transport facilities across the state.Additionally, Sawant proposed the introduction of electric buses and e-rickshaws in industrial estates to promote sustainable transportation.For river transport, a total of Rs 86 crore was allocated to the river navigation department, with Rs 75.5 crore for revenue expenditure and Rs 10.5 crore for capital expenditure.“Govt shouldn’t wait to see audit reports; instead, take all people into confidence — police, public, and tourists — before bringing up infrastructure,” Martins said
