Abdul Wahab Khan
Panaji : Chief Minister Pramod Sawant allocated Rs 8 crore in the state budget to expand services to new routes, but 18 months after its launch, Goa’s Mhaji Bus Scheme has struggled to gain traction, with only 57 private buses enrolled as of February 2025.
Despite a government subsidy of Rs 11.66 crore to cover operational shortfalls, the scheme generated just Rs 11.10 crore in revenue.
A key concern highlighted in official documents is revenue leakage. Over 140 inspections between August 2023 and February 2025 uncovered widespread irregularities, including conductors hoarding cash, underreporting passengers and permitting ticketless travel.
On the Margao-Curchorem route, a bus was penalised three times, with fines totalling Rs 6,500 and service suspensions. Another bus on the Margao-Poinguinim route was fined Rs 4,000 for repeated violations. In total, fines exceeding Rs 2.5 lakh were imposed, and 15 conductors were dismissed.
Launched in August 2023, the initiative aims to bridge transportation gaps in underserved areas by incentivising private bus operators to ply on less profitable routes. Key corridors include Canacona, Margao-Curchorem, Ponda-Usgao and Panaji-Ponda-Curchorem-Neturlim.
However, data indicates limited participation: 46 buses operate in Canacona, eight on the Margao-Curchorem route, two on the Ponda-Usgao-Sakhali-Bicholim corridor and a single bus on the Panaji-Ponda-Curchorem-Neturlim stretch. These buses conduct six to 10 trips daily, generating average revenue of Rs 19-25 lakh per bus over 18 months.
Revenue figures reveal disparities across routes. The highest earnings came from Margao-Palolem (Rs 95.8 lakh, four buses), followed by Margao-Polem (Rs 84.3 lakh, four buses) and Margao-Curchorem (Rs 72.8 lakh, four buses).
The lowest revenue was recorded on Margao-Loliem route (Rs 52.8 lakh, three buses), Margao-Khola (Rs 60.3 lakh, three buses) and Canacona-Cotigao (Rs 42.3 lakh, two buses). Despite some routes demonstrating strong passenger demand, erratic ridership and operational costs have forced heavy reliance on state subsidies.
Operational data shows significant variability in daily trips, ranging from four to 10 per bus depending on the route. While some routes such as Margao-Palolem, Sanguem, Loliem and Polem show high revenue despite moderate daily trips, others like Canacona-Mudkud, Muskaure, Sadolxem, Curchorem and Tudal struggle with consistent passenger engagement, completing up to 10 trips daily but earning only Rs 12-15 lakh due to over-servicing.
Transport experts said that route rationalisation, improved monitoring and technology-driven solutions are essential to reviving the initiative.
