Dust from muddy roads adds to Kalasipalyam woes

The condition of the Kalasipalyam bus stand, which is plagued by mounds of garbage, open urinals and slush, has now worsened with dust adding to the misery. Hundreds of commuters, who have to put up with lack of shelters and seats, are now choking on the dust caused by shoddily filled potholes.

After repeated complaints about the gaping potholes on the bus lanes, all that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) did two years ago was fill them with ballast and quarry dust.
With the bus lanes left untarred, dust engulfs the entire bus stand as hundreds of Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private buses drive in and out of the bus stand from dawn to dusk.

The bus terminal even lacks basic facilities like toilets and drinking water. Passengers blame the government for the pathetic state of the bus stand. They say that though the condition of the bus stand was brought to its notice, it has taken no action. “Inter-state passengers blame us for the poor state of the bus stand. When we try to tell that we have no authority, they demand that we convey their message to our superiors,” a BMTC conductor said. BMTC conductors and drivers are also fed up with complaints from passengers. “We are also suffering from dust and lack of facilities.

Whom should we complain to? If we speak to the media, we will lose our increment,” said another conductor.

The dust has taken a toll on the vendors’ health and business. Passengers refuse to buy their wares coated with dust. “Business has slumped in the last two years and it is hard to run the household,” Vasantha, a fruit vendor, said.

“The condition of the bus stand is worsening by the day. Passengers have nowhere to take shelter during summer and rainy seasons,” said a regular commuter from Ramanagaram, Ramesh Gowda.

When contacted, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy told Deccan Herald that a new bus terminal would come up at Kalasipalyam soon as the work order has been issued recently. He said the project was delayed because Chickpet MLA R V Devaraj had raised an objection to the project in the Assembly.