Last weekend, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant gave an interesting solution to an issue that Goa has been grappling with for quite some time — road accidents. Sawant suggested greater use of public transport systems while arguing that doing so would help decongest roads, reduce pollution, and bring down the number of accidents. The CM spoke at the 44th anniversary of the State-owned Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited.
Certainly, the CM may be inspired by the 48 e-buses rolled out on Smart City roads providing seamless connectivity to areas in and around Panaji. There is no denying that the network of buses and the systems that are put in place in the capital city provides convenience of travel, besides the comfort of lesser emissions and a quieter ambience. The rest of Goa is not so privileged, yet.
A cursory look at the public transport system across the State paints a very grim picture with KTC and private players operating in tandem. The picture is in complete contrast to Smart City. Picture this: An employee from the South doing duty in North Goa struggling daily to make it to the workplace facing the extreme possibility of not making it in time. Similar is the case with late-night public transport where inter-city routes are shut by around 9-9.30 pm leaving commuters with no option but to rely on personal vehicles.
What's worse is, there might be a further shortfall of buses, if Navelim MLA and Chairman of KTCL Ulhas Tuenkar is to be believed. At the anniversary function, Tuenkar lamented that KTC could soon face a massive shortage of buses since nearly 100 vehicles will have to be scrapped due to the 15-year rule. He thanked the government for procuring new EV buses but expressed worry that services on several routes will be affected if there is no timely replacement.
Goa’s public transport system mainly revolves around a fragmented network of buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws and each of these comes with inherent issues. Buses are by far few and inconsistent in rural Goa and the network remains pathetic. In a recent instance, passengers were seen using umbrellas inside a KTC bus on a rainy afternoon. The existing public transport system is falling woefully short of coping with the State’s travel requirements.
The introduction of EVs in public transport systems could be a game-changer even as the world is increasingly leaning towards sustainability and environmental conservation. Given the benefits of EVs, the State government can transition the transport system making public transport a more attractive option. While Goa is at a very nascent stage and is slowly changing gears to electric transport, it still has a long way to go.
Onboarding EVs to decongest roads is a practical solution and we must admit that the government has moved in that direction. However, the Panaji model will have to be replicated in other cities before moving on to the rural Goa in a phased manner.
With accidents on the rise, chaos on the roads and pollution increasing by the day Goa stands at a crossroads having exhausted many options. We have better roads, better than what they were a couple of years ago, but we also have a higher density of vehicles on these roads. Going ahead, there are positive signs, starting with the transition to EVs, but for now, Goa does not have a robust public transport system that we can be proud of, and certainly not one that people can rely on for their day-to-day commute.
