Panaji (Goa) As a result of major damage caused due to fire at bus stand, Transport department’s regional office in Panaji located there will be shut down for three days.

“Two of our major sections which are dealing with enforcement and registration of vehicles are damaged in the fire. We will have to shut down the office for another three days,” State Transport Director Nikhil Desai told reporters at the site of the fire.

The fire which began at 5.45 a.m. was brought under control around 9.30 a.m. by ten tenders of Fire and Emergency Services.

Desai said that the exact cause of fire could not be established but prima facie it looks like the short circuit in the supermarket located below the office caused the flames.

“At least 10-12 fire tenders were pressed in service to control the fire. The records inside the office are  burnt. Almost one forth of the registration records are gutted,” he said.

We are fortunate that transport department had recently migrated few of its services to online mode, he added.

Desai said that the department’s team will put in all their efforts to ensure that the office back on the track as fast as possible.

Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited’s Managing Director Darryk Natto said that they had recently done assessment of electricity load at panaji bus stand through Public Works Department as there was a plan to completely change the electric wiring.

He said after the incident of fire, entire area has been cordoned off. “The losses would be to the tune of Rs one crore and more,” he said.