Karnataka, Goa agree to run more buses to each other's places

To tap into the growing passenger traffic between Karnataka and Goa and to provide better transport facilities to the public, the two states on Monday entered into one principal and five supplemental agreements. This way, the transport corporations of both the states will be able to run more buses to each other’s destinations.

 Accordingly, Karnataka’s State Transport Undertakings—KSRTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC—can operate more services on 59 routes covering 20,526 service kilometres in Goa. The destinations will include Panaji, Vasco, Mapusa, Margaon, Calangute, Colva, etc. Similarly, the Kadamba Transport Corporation, an undertaking of the Goa government, can operate new/additional services on 28 routes covering 22,148 service kms to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Belagavi, Saundatti, Murudeshwar, Gokarna, Karwar, Gokak among other destinations. 

The agreement also provides for operation of additional services to various destinations in both the states on a daily basis as well as during various fairs and festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Dasara, Deepavali, Christmas, New Year, Goa Carnival, etc and during the summer. 

Besides, for the first time, a provision has been made for operation of special services at the weekends to destinations in Goa. Services can be operated on the said routes once both the governments finalise the agreement. 

Dr Rajkumar Khatri, Principal Secretary, Transport, Government of Karnataka, and Parimal Rai, Principal Secretary, Transport, Government of Goa, held discussions on Monday and finalised the routes to be introduced by the State Transport Undertakings of both the states and the increase in quota for goods carriage and motor cabs.  
Rajender Kumar Kataria, Managing Director, KSRTC, Dr Ramegowda, Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety, Government of Karnataka,  R Vinoth Priya, Managing Director, NWKRTC, Arun Desai, Director of Transport, Government of Goa, Derrick Periera Neto, Managing Director, Kadamba Transport Corporation, Goa, were present on the occasion.