‘Restore second Curchorem-Panaji shuttle service’

Margao: Regular commuters to Panaji from Curchorem, Sanvordem, Sanguem and surrounding areas have demanded resumption of the second 7.50am Curchorem-Panaji shuttle bus service by

Kadamba Transport Corporation

(KTC), which was suspended during the Covid pandemic.

In a letter to the managing director, KTC, the commuters have pointed out that as the first shuttle bus service that departs from Curchorem gets full in no time, a large number of commuters are forced to travel standing for want of the second shuttle service.

“Some passengers are forced to travel on this only service due to non-availability of the second service, while many who are unable to travel standing, take a Margao-bound bus and then proceed to Panaji by another bus,” the commuters said in the letter.

They further pointed out that with the reopening of schools and colleges, a lot many students will have to commute, thereby increasing the number of passengers substantially.

They have urged KTC to restart the 7.50 am shuttle service forthwith in order to mitigate the travelling woes of office goers and students.

There’s also a demand for the introduction of late evening-buses on this route.

Regular commuters on this route, speaking to TOI, narrated their woes in catching a bus from Margao during late evening hours, as the last Curchorem-bound KTC bus leaves Margao at 7.30pm. Beyond that, the passengers are left at the mercy of the private bus operators whose services are mostly irregular, they said. Similarly, the last bus that leaves for Margao from Curchorem departs at 7.30pm.