Reply: As per the 2022 Housing and Population Census published in May 2024, the Village of Dagotière, comprising Lower and Upper Dagotière, has an estimated population of approximately 7,600 inhabitants. The area has limited local economic and educational facilities, with residents mostly travelling to Port Louis, Curepipe, St Pierre and Rose Hill for their daily socio-economic activities. Residence Lavande, located in Upper Dagotière, is already adequately served by existing bus services, namely Route 105 (Vuillemin – Rose Hill) and Route 135 (Vuillemin – Port Louis), operating throughout the day at frequencies of 10 to 15 minutes during peak hours and up to 50 minutes during off-peak periods. Connectivity is further enhanced through additional services as follows – (a) two express services to Port Louis on Route 135 at 07h00 and 07h10; (b) one dedicated school service on Route 105 at 07h15; (c) two school-day services on Route 17B at 07h00 and 07h15; (d) one weekday service on Route 17F at 07h00, and (e) one return trip from Curepipe to Upper Dagotière at 14h50 on school days. Route 17C (Curepipe – Camp Thorel) has been discontinued for more than 10 years due to lack of economic viability. According to the National Land Transport Authority, only Routes 226 and 226/A do not provide a loop service via Upper Dagotière. These two routes are already a relatively long one of approximately 40 kilometres and are subject to complaints regarding adherence to their timetable, mainly due to traffic congestion along its itinerary. Any extension of this route to serve Residence Lavande would likely exacerbate public dissatisfaction as it will increase the time taken for the trip and place additional strain on both the bus crews and commuters. The problem, as outlined by the hon. Member in the question, is more an issue of road safety where intending passengers have to cross Valetta bypass to avail of services along route 226 and 226/A. The Traffic Management Road Safety Unit is working on a signalised pedestrian crossing at that locus. The project is at design stage and is expected to be completed by November 2026. The TMRSU will be instructed to carry out a site visit at the locus concerned and to consider whether any measures can be taken at the least possible delay pending the implementation of the signalised pedestrian crossing at that locus. In view of the above, it is not considered necessary at this stage to review existing routes or introduce additional bus services for Residence Lavande, Dagotière. The situation will nevertheless continue to be closely monitored by the National Land Transport Authority, any new services required would be subject to a prior technical assessment covering both operational feasibility and road safety considerations following a joint site visit with the NLTA and TMRSU during peak hours to consider any road safety measure earlier and to also assess how to best resolve the problem faced by residents of Residence Lavande. The Ministry is also in the process of implementing a Fleet Management System (FMS), which will soon come into operation. This system will enable real-time monitoring and better management of bus fleet operations, including tracking of vehicles, adherence to schedules, and optimisation of deployment. It is expected to enhance operational efficiency, improve service reliability, and strengthen overall regulatory oversight of public transport services. In this respect, the FMS will contribute to improved service delivery across the network, including in areas such as Dagotière, by allowing more responsive and evidence- based management of existing services. LOW RAINFALLS – ESA ASSESSMENT– WATER & RAINFALL MANAGEMENT PLAN