Panaji, July 7: The Goa Forward Students’ Wing on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Managing Director of the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTCL), demanding direct bus connectivity from all taluka headquarters to Goa University to ensure students can travel to the State’s premier university without having to change multiple buses.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Goa University Campus Union General Secretary Soham Raut, Damodar College General Secretary Krish Ballikar, and youth leaders Vrushank Gaonkar and Sanket Raut said the demand seeks to provide students with accessible, affordable and safe public transport.

The student leaders said the issue was first raised last year by the then Goa University Campus Union President and was later taken up in the Legislative Assembly by Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai. Although the Government had assured action, they alleged that no concrete steps had been taken even after a year, with the new academic session already underway.

According to the delegation, students from talukas such as Canacona, Sattari, Bicholim and Dharbandora are forced to begin their journey as early as 4 a.m. and change three to four buses to reach Goa University on time. They said the same difficulty is faced while returning home, increasing travel time, expenses and stress.

The delegation said the KTCL Managing Director acknowledged the long-pending demand and assured them that four dedicated university bus routes would be introduced by August after the induction of new buses into the corporation’s fleet. The proposed routes are expected to cover Canacona, Dharbandora–Ponda, Sattari–Bicholim and Margao, with schedules aligned to Goa University timings. KTCL has also assured a written response to the memorandum.

The student leaders emphasised that reliable public transport is essential for quality higher education, adding that inadequate connectivity discourages students, particularly those from rural areas, from pursuing education at Goa University.

They also raised concerns over the safety of women students, stating that multiple bus changes and long waits at bus stops expose them to harassment and insecurity. Direct university bus services, they said, would improve safety and provide greater confidence to students and their families.

While welcoming KTCL’s assurance, the Goa Forward Students’ Wing reiterated its demand for direct buses from every taluka to the Goa University campus. The organisation has given KTCL 15 days to initiate action and warned that if the promised services are not introduced by August, it will consult students across Goa before deciding its future course of action.